Jack Teixeira, a former Massachusetts Air National guardsman aged 22, pleaded guilty to all six charges of leaking national defense information.
Teixeira appeared in federal court in Boston, Mass., dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit and shackles. He was accused of sharing top-secret Pentagon documents on a gaming app called Discord, violating his security clearance. The leaked documents included detailed intelligence assessments of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Teixeira agreed to a plea deal that could result in a prison sentence of 11 to 16 years and eight months, along with a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He must also debrief with the Department of Defense and Justice Department and return any remaining national security documents. In exchange for his guilty plea, Teixeira won't face additional charges under the Espionage Act.
Jack Teixeira, arrested at 21, initially pleaded not guilty to six counts under the Espionage Act, each carrying a sentence of up to 10 years. A judge ordered him to remain in custody ahead of trial due to concerns about his violent rhetoric and the risk of adversaries exploiting him for information. Teixeira, while awaiting trial, was in an unpaid status in the Air National Guard, as confirmed by the Air Force.
He was associated with the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts when authorities allege, he unlawfully gathered military secrets and shared them on Discord, a social media platform popular among online gamers.
Prosecutors have not provided much insight into Jack Teixeira's alleged motive. However, according to members of the Discord group, Teixeira seemed more interested in showcasing his actions rather than aiming to inform the public about US military operations or influence American policy.
Teixeira's leak was considered one of the most serious national security breaches since the WikiLeaks incident in 2010. Fifteen members of the 102nd Intelligence Wing, including his former unit commander, were disciplined for failing to supervise Teixeira and report his actions earlier.
