Charges Filed Against Huntsville Office Worker for Retaining Classified Documents

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that a worker from Huntsville has been brought before the court, facing accusations of unlawfully removing and keeping confidential documents.

Ewa Maria Ciszak, 64, stands accused of knowingly deleting and retaining sensitive documents. Since January 2023, she has been employed in missile defense agencies, which included holding security clearance that allowed her access to classified materials related to U.S. defense, as per a news release from the Department of Justice.

According to sealed court documents from the Northern District of Alabama, it is alleged that last week, Ciszak deleted classified documents from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) facility without proper authorization. She reportedly transported these materials to her personal residence and vehicles.

Last Wednesday, federal agents conducted searches of Ciszak’s homes, vehicles, and other locations. They recovered multiple documents marked with classification levels up to “secret.” Notably, some of these files were reportedly placed in her personal backpack and taken directly from the MDA to her home.

National Security Advisor John A. Eisenberg and U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escarona are involved in the case, as announced by Roman Roshabski, the deputy director of the Northern District of Alabama and the FBI’s anti-intelligence division.

The FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and the Air Force Special Investigation Office are investigating the matter, with assistance from the Savannah resident agency and the missile defense agency at the FBI Atlanta Field Office.

Indictments in this case are being led by Assistant Henry Cornelius of the Northern District of Alabama, along with trial lawyers Chantel Dial and Adam Barry from the National Security Agency’s anti-intelligence and export control division.