On Thursday, October 1st, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, a 51-year-old electrical engineer living in Richland, Washington, was arrested that morning. He stands accused of attempting to provide material support or resources to the Houthi armed group, which is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States.
Ellaboudy was scheduled to appear for his first court hearing on Friday, October 2nd at 11 am in Richland, Washington. According to court records, he has not yet appointed a defense lawyer.
The court records reveal that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated an investigation after receiving intelligence that Ellaboudy was purchasing certain dangerous items. The items reportedly purchased include precursor chemicals for homemade explosive devices (such as acetone and sodium hydroxide), drone components, and other materials.
The indictment also mentioned that in December 2024, Ellaboudy called in sick to the Department of Energy, claiming exposure to the common explosive manufacturing chemical “high-concentration nitric acid.”
The charges allege that Ellaboudy attempted to assist the Houthi armed group in enhancing its communication warfare capabilities. In September 2025, he used an official passport issued during his tenure with the US Army Corps of Engineers to travel to Oman and then illegally crossed the border into Yemen in an attempt to reach the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, to establish contact with senior Houthi members, although he ultimately did not reach Sanaa.
Upon returning to the US, Ellaboudy falsely told US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers that he had been on official business, conducting a mission to inspect missile defense systems in Oman. However, his superiors at the Department of Energy denied authorizing Ellaboudy to travel to that region for any such mission.
During the investigation, Ellaboudy maintained contact with several FBI undercover confidential human sources (CHS). He provided assistance to a source claiming to be a “Houthi armed group colonel,” using his electrical engineering expertise to test and modify solar generators and communication equipment, as well as advising on methods to enhance the group’s communication network.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant US Attorney Lisa Cartier-Giroux from the Eastern District of Washington, along with trial attorneys Patrick Cashman and Ryan White from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, have jointly brought charges.
Ellaboudy currently faces charges of violating federal laws related to “Providing material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations.” If convicted of the charges, he could potentially face up to 20 years in prison.
It should be noted that the charges listed in the current indictment are only accusations, and until a court verdict of guilt is reached, the defendant is presumed innocent.
John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, expressed deep concern over a US government employee using their professional knowledge to aid terrorists of the Houthi armed group and obtaining explosive materials and drone delivery systems. He stated, “These charges are alarming and simply unbelievable.”