DOE engineer charged in alleged Houthi material support

The FBI arrested Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, after executing a search warrant at his Richland, Washington residence. The 51-year-old Department of Energy electrical engineer is charged with attempting to provide material support to the Houthis, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization also known as Ansarallah. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

A federal employee allegedly turned specialized engineering skill, government travel credentials, and taxpayer-paid time toward an Iran-backed group the United States has formally branded a terrorist organization. The material-support statute exists to stop Americans from supplying personnel, services, expert advice, or equipment to designated foreign terrorist organizations. The case now tests whether that law reaches a cleared engineer inside the Energy Department before any plot matures into attacks on shipping, partners, or the homeland.

John Eisenberg of the Justice Department put the core allegation in plain terms. "As alleged, a U.S. government employee traveled overseas and used his specialized expertise in an attempt to aid the Houthis, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization backed by Iran." He added, "Additionally, Ellaboudy acquired materials for the construction of explosive material and drones capable of delivering these explosives. These allegations are so deeply disturbing that they almost defy imagination."

According to the criminal complaint and the FBI affidavit, investigators first focused on purchases made between November 2024 and February 2025. Those buys included acetone and sodium bisulfate, along with nitric acid, ammonium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, potassium nitrate, aluminum powder, sulfur powder, and firework igniter parts. Authorities also identified purchases of drone components and parts used in remotely operated aerial systems. In December 2024, Ellaboudy took sick leave from his Energy Department job, claiming exposure to highly concentrated nitric acid, a chemical associated with explosive preparation.

The overseas leg followed in September 2025. Ellaboudy traveled from Richland through Los Angeles and Doha to Salalah, Oman, using a passport issued during prior employment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Cellphone data placed him near the Oman-Yemen border. In a recorded October 2025 conversation, he described paying approximately $1,400 to be smuggled across that border. He hoped to reach Houthi-controlled Sanaa for government-level contacts. He did not reach the city.

When he returned to the United States, Ellaboudy told Customs and Border Protection officers that the trip was official U.S. government missile-defense inspection business. His Department of Energy supervisor later told the FBI he knew of no such authorized travel and no Energy Department program that would have required it.

Jarod Brown of the FBI stated the agency’s view of the conduct. "This individual allegedly betrayed the U.S. and attempted to aid the Houthis, a designated foreign terrorist organization, but thanks to the work of the men and women of the FBI, his actions were detected and he is now in custody." Brown continued, "According to the criminal complaint, Ellaboudy tried to assist the terrorist group improve its communications capabilities, he purchased materials for homemade explosives and drones, and he traveled to Yemen where the Houthis control the capital city. Preventing terrorism and protecting the U.S. homeland is a vital part of the FBI's mission. We will use all our resources and work closely with our partners to identify and stop anyone planning to commit acts of terrorism or to help terrorist organizations."

The complaint further alleges that Ellaboudy later dealt with FBI informants, including one posing as a Houthi colonel. Discussions centered on communications equipment intended for a mobile communications center in Yemen. Authorities say Ellaboudy applied his electrical-engineering background to help test and modify solar generators and communications systems, advised on integrating power and communications, supplied diagrams and schematics, and researched additional gear that could improve the setup.

The record carries no public statement from Ellaboudy and identifies no attorney speaking for him. The charges remain allegations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. That presumption is the constitutional baseline, and the government must still prove every element at trial.