A former staff employee for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has been indicted and arrested for allegedly lying to the FBI, the Department of Justice said in a statement released Thursday.

James A. Wolfe, a former director of security at the SSCI, was indicted for allegedly lying to FBI agents in December last year about repeated contacts with three reporters, which included the use of encrypted messaging applications, the release said.

In addition, Wolfe allegedly lied to the agency about giving two reporters non-public information linked to "matters occurring before the SSCI."

The indictment did not elaborate on those matters.

Wolfe is expected to appear in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on Friday.