A Department of Energy electrical engineer was arrested Thursday on charges he attempted to provide material support to the Houthis, a designated foreign terrorist organization backed by Iran, the Justice Department announced. Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of Richland, Washington, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors allege Ellaboudy traveled to Yemen and provided technical assistance designed to improve the Houthis’ communications capabilities. The FBI began investigating him after discovering he had purchased precursor chemicals associated with homemade explosives, including acetone and sodium bisulfate, along with components used in drones.
Ellaboudy’s Alleged Trip Into Yemen
Ellaboudy traveled from Washington state to Oman in September 2025 using an official passport previously issued while he worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to the DOJ. He allegedly paid roughly $1,400 to be smuggled across the Oman-Yemen border, intending to reach the Houthi-controlled capital of Sanaa to establish government-level connections, though he ultimately failed to reach the city.
When he returned to the United States, Ellaboudy allegedly told Customs and Border Protection officials that his trip was part of a government mission involving missile defense systems. Investigators then interviewed his DOE supervisor, who said Ellaboudy had no authorized international travel and was not assigned to any missile inspection program. Separately, in December 2024, Ellaboudy took sick leave claiming he had been exposed to highly concentrated nitric acid, a chemical the DOJ described as commonly used in constructing explosive materials.
Federal investigators later introduced confidential human sources into the case, including one who claimed to work for a Houthi “Colonel,” according to DOE engineer Houthi support charges filed by the Justice Department.
Technical Assistance for Houthi Communications
Prosecutors say Ellaboudy used his electrical engineering expertise to test and modify solar generators and communications equipment intended for a mobile communications center. He also allegedly provided schematics and diagrams, explained how power and communications systems could be integrated, and researched additional equipment to further boost the Houthis’ capabilities.
DOE Hanford Field Office Manager Ray Geimer sought to reassure the public about the site where Ellaboudy worked. “This matter did not involve an attempt to harm the Hanford Site or its workforce, and at no time was there a threat to the safety or security of the site,” Geimer said in the DOJ’s press release.
First Court Appearance and What Comes Next
Ellaboudy is scheduled to make his first appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Richland on Friday. The FBI’s Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case.
The charges are allegations, and Ellaboudy is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Department of Energy and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
