ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A former CIA contractor pleaded guilty Friday to unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials. Federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, said the 53-year-old Reynaldo Regis worked for a government contractor and was assigned to the CIA between 2006 and 2016

As part of his plea agreement, Regis admitted he copied classified information into personal notebooks and conducted unauthorized searches of classified databases. According to court documents, FBI agents found 60 notebooks containing classified information when they searched his home.

In a statement, prosecutors said that the release of information in the notebooks could cause "serious damage" to national security.

Get Breaking News Delivered to Your Inbox

Regis also pleaded guilty to making false statements - prosecutors say Regis initially lied to law enforcement by denying his activity.

He will be sentenced Sept. 21. He could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison.

His lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday afternoon.