John Bolton, that worked during the first Trump administration, made his way at a US courthouse to surrender to law enforcement facing accusations of improperly handling classified information.
The eighteen counts arise from allegations that he distributed or kept confidential documents, including some labeled as highly classified.
Bolton, who separated with the White House contentiously, has emerged as one of the Trump's most vocal outspoken opponents.
The formal accusation makes Bolton, seventy-six, the third of the US leader's rivals to be indicted in the past few days.
Initial Hearing
On the end of the week, Bolton did not respond to reporters' inquiries as he walked into the federal building in Greenbelt, Maryland to surrender to authorities.
He is anticipated to make an initial appearance before a magistrate and may have to visit the US Marshals office for "potential" fingerprinting and mugshot.
Prosecutors' Allegations
Prosecutors have charged Bolton of using personal messaging apps and electronic mail to illegally transmit classified data.
"The materials revealed information about future attacks, international foes, and diplomatic ties," prosecutors wrote.
Responding to the allegations, Bolton said he would defend his "legal actions".
He added he had "become the most recent focus in using the Justice Department to charge those he [Trump] considers to be his opponents with charges that were declined before or distort the facts."
Specific Accusations
The indictment filed this recently accused Bolton of sharing "diary-like entries" with two unidentified persons, and using his personal email account to send messages with confidential information.
The indictment also claims that between a two-year period, Bolton was allegedly the victim of a hacking attack from a "cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran" that gained access his system, revealing the sensitive documents.
Previous Scrutiny
Bolton has been scrutinised for his management of sensitive data since 2020, when he attempted to publish a book about his time in the Trump's initial presidency.
The federal prosecutors attempted to block the publication, alleging it could contain sensitive material.
A US magistrate ruled against the administration, but criticized Bolton in his decision, writing he had "taken risks with the country's safety of the United States".
An probe into Bolton persisted into the Joe Biden administration.
Legal Process
An indictment in the US legal framework is a formal accusation delivered by a grand jury - a body of citizens established by a government lawyer to review proof to decide if a case should move forward.
