Ex-Justice Department Prosecutor Faces Charges Over Alleged Emailing of Confidential Records

A former prosecutor for the Justice Department has been formally charged with crimes related to the alleged emailing of confidential records linked to Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Donald Trump. The accused, Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, aged 62 from Port St. Lucie, Florida, confronts four charges. These include one felony count of obstructing justice, one felony of concealing government records, and two misdemeanor counts related to the theft of government property valued under $1,000.

Allegations Against Lineberger

The indictment, lodged in the Southern District of Florida, suggests that Lineberger modified electronic file names to hide unauthorized sending of documents to her personal email. During the alleged offenses, Lineberger worked as the Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney at the Fort Pierce branch office for Florida’s Southern District.

“This afternoon, a former managing assistant U.S. Attorney who supported Jack Smith’s politicized investigation of President Trump has been charged with stealing the confidential investigation documents,” FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a post on X.

Lineberger allegedly disguised confidential material as names like “chocolate cake recipe” to evade detection during record searches.

Context of Charges

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously stopped the public release of a portion of Smith’s report concerning the classified documents found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in January 2025. Lineberger’s attorney has not commented on the matter per reports from Fox News Digital.

Closure of Related Cases

Jack Smith, previously a special counsel, had charged Trump with illegal efforts to overturn the 2020 election and holding national defense information improperly. However, these indictment cases were later dismissed by Judge Cannon, who deemed Smith’s appointment as special counsel unauthorized.

Details of the Indictment

The indictment claims Lineberger sent a section of Smith’s report to her personal email using misleading file names. She reportedly obtained a copy before Judge Cannon’s order to seal the report. Allegations suggest Lineberger was aware such transmissions were against the court’s order.

Lineberger maintained her plea of not guilty during her appearance in federal court. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison for obstruction, three years for the concealment of public records, and one year per theft count.