FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — A former federal prosecutor allegedly disguised sensitive Justice Department records under file names like “chocolate cake recipe” and “bundt cake recipe” before emailing them to her personal accounts, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday.

Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, 62, of Port St. Lucie, has been charged with theft of government property, falsifying records in a federal investigation, and concealing public records, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced.

The records at the center of the case include a sealed portion of former Special Counsel Jack Smith‘s report on the criminal investigation into President Donald Trump’s retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, according to multiple news reports.

Prosecutors say Lineberger served as the Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney (MAUSA) in the Fort Pierce branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at the time of the alleged offenses in late 2025.

The indictment alleges Lineberger altered electronic file names of official DOJ records to mask their contents before transmitting them outside government systems. Among the materials were internal DOJ communications, a department memorandum, and a report connected to a criminal prosecution that had been ordered sealed by a federal court.

See also: BODYCAM: Puppy saved from 92-degree heat inside parked car; owner arrested

The U.S. Department of Justice said that the renamed files, including those labeled as dessert recipes, allowed the documents to be sent to Lineberger’s personal email accounts without detection.

Prosecutors further allege Lineberger knew that transmitting at least one of the documents, a report tied to an active criminal case, violated a court order prohibiting disclosure and could affect the administration of justice in that case.

Lineberger appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach for her arraignment before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison on the falsification charge, up to three years for concealing or removing public records, and up to one year for each count of theft of government property valued under $1,000, according to the DOJ.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie S. Utt of the Northern District of Florida was assigned as a special prosecutor to avoid conflicts of interest.

Officials emphasized that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that Lineberger is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.