A former federal prosecutor in Florida has been charged with stealing a sealed volume of a special counsel's report and altering government records.
Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, 62, a former managing Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida, was indicted on four counts, including theft of government property and removal and alteration of public records.
Key Facts of the Indictment
According to the indictment, which was unsealed on Wednesday, Lineberger allegedly saved a sealed portion of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on her government-issued computer under the file name "Bundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf." She then emailed the file from her Department of Justice (DOJ) account to her personal Gmail account on December 1, 2025.
The stolen document is Volume II of Smith's report, which concerns the now-defunct criminal case against President Donald Trump regarding his retention of classified documents.
Court documents also allege that in a separate incident months earlier, Lineberger sent internal DOJ documents to her personal email account under the file name "Chocolate_cake_recipe.pdf." The indictment does not allege that she shared the files with any other individuals.
Legal and Court Context
On January 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order prohibiting the DOJ and its employees from releasing or transmitting that volume of the report. Cannon dismissed the DOJ's criminal case against Trump in July 2024, ruling that Smith's appointment as special counsel violated the Appointments Clause.
Current Status of the Proceedings
Lineberger was arraigned in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday. She pleaded not guilty and was released without bond. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida to avoid a conflict of interest with her former office.
If convicted on all charges, Lineberger faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
Reactions
Lineberger's attorney has declined to comment on the case. On social media, President Trump posted a link to a news report on the indictment, stating: > "Deranged Jack Smith and his 'gang' are really bad news. Can never be allowed to happen again. They should all be prosecuted!"