Ashley Tellis Espionage Case Dismissed by US Judge

• •Ashley Tellis' espionage case was dismissed without prejudice by a federal judge.
• •The defense successfully argued that the wrong statutory provision was used for charges.
• •Tellis was accused of retaining 11 classified documents while holding a security clearance.

A federal judge in Virginia dismissed an Espionage Act case against Indian-American scholar Ashley J. Tellis. The dismissal was granted without prejudice on April 16, 2026, after the defense argued that prosecutors used the wrong statutory provision. Tellis was charged under Section 793(e) for unlawfully retaining classified documents, but his legal team contended he was entrusted with the information due to his high-level security clearance. The government alleged he stored 11 classified documents at his residence, including sensitive national defense information. Following the dismissal, Tellis filed for the release of his secured bond, which prosecutors did not contest. The case's dismissal reflects potential issues in the prosecution's approach to the Espionage Act.