RICHLAND, Wash. – A Richland man who worked for the Department of Energy was arrested on Thursday morning for allegedly attempting to provide support to the Houthis.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said 51-year-old Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, who was a Department of Energy employee, allegedly bought materials to build explosives and delivery drones, traveled overseas and used specialized expertise in an attempt to aid the Houthis.

The Houthis are an Iran-backed group that was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States most recently in 2025.

The Attorney’s Office said court records claim Ellaboudy came to the attention of the FBI after the FBI received information that he had purchased materials “commonly used in the construction of homemade explosive devices” and “drones and remotely operated aerial systems.”

The office said the filed complaint alleges that in December 2024, the FBI learned Elaboudy took sick leave from his employment and said he was exposed to highly concentrated nitric acid, which it said is a common chemical used to construct explosive materials. 

The office said the filed complaint also alleges that in September 2025, Ellaboudy used an official passport issued to him during his employment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, travelled from Richland to Oman, and Oman to Yemen.

“Ellaboudy used this same passport to cross the border into Yemen with the intent on traveling to Sanaa, Yemen, the country’s capital, which is under the control of the Houthis. Upon returning to the United States, Ellaboudy stated to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers that he had travelled overseas on official government business,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in its press release.

The office said Ellaboudy’s Department of Energy supervisor later said Ellaboudy did not have official government authorization to travel to that region.

The FBI’s Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated Ellaboudy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Ellaboudy began communicating with an FBI confidential human source pretending to be working for a Houthi “colonel” to acquire communications equipment  to send to Yemen for use in a mobile communications center, the Attorney’s Office said.

“Ellaboudy provided expert advice and assistance, based upon his background in electrical engineering, by helping the CHS test and modify solar power generators and communication equipment. Additionally, Ellaboudy provided guidance on how the power systems and communication system integrated, provided schematics and diagrams for the proper setup of the systems, and conducted research and provided guidance on other equipment that could be acquired to enhance the communications equipment of the Houthis,” the Attorney’s Office said.

The Seattle FBI Field Office confirmed to NonStop Local that Ellaboudy was a suspect in a law enforcement operation in south Richland on Thursday morning.

The arrest took place near Hazelwood Avenue and Oxford Avenue. Law enforcement arrived at the area around 8:30 a.m. and Richland police asked people to avoid the area.

Richland Police Department vehicles were at the scene alongside SWAT vehicles and other law enforcement members. The Richland Police Department confirmed local agencies were helping the FBI conduct a search warrant.

The Attorney’s Office said Ellaboudy could face a maximum of 20 years in prison if he is convicted.

An office manager from the Department of Energy Hanford Field Office said the 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.”

State Representative Dan Newhouse released the following statement on the arrest:

I want to thank the FBI and DOE for their coordinated effort today in arresting an individual who allegedly exploited the trust of the U.S. Government to the benefit of a foreign terrorist organization. There is a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who betray our government for the sake of terrorism and if these allegations are true, this individual should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I will be receiving a briefing from DOJ and DOE to understand the severity of the situation, to review protocols in place, and to evaluate what improvements may be necessary. Thank you again to DOJ and DOE for their work to safeguard our national security.