Members of the Massachusetts Air National Guard Jack Teixeira and his accomplices have entered a guilty plea in federal court for their substantial internet leaks of highly secret U.S. national security papers. For allegedly breaking military regulations, he will now be subject to a court-martial.
Teixeira, 22, is charged with obstructing justice and failing to obey a lawful order following the revelation of one of the largest classified document leaks in recent history, according to a U.S. Air Force spokesperson on Wednesday.
On July 2, these accusations were formally sent to trial, according to Lieutenant Colonel Brian Wagner. The trial will occur at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, though the date has not been set yet.
In May, during proceedings, Air Force prosecutors urged a hearing officer, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Raming, to recommend a general court-martial for Teixeira.
After Teixeira pleaded guilty in March to separate charges brought by the U.S. Justice Department, the Air Force decided in May to pursue military charges.
Teixeira’s defense counsel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. His attorneys argue that the charges violate his right against double jeopardy.
Teixeira was detained in April 2023 on suspicion of orchestrating a major breach of national security while employed as a journeyman in cyber defense operations.
Despite his low rank, Teixeira had top-secret security clearance and began accessing hundreds of classified documents starting in January 2022, covering topics like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prosecutors say.
Prosecutors claim Teixeira shared classified information on the messaging app Discord in private chat rooms, boasting about his access to information on Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iran, and China.
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Teixeira is expected to be sentenced on September 27 to a minimum of 11 years in jail in the Justice Department’s case; however, prosecutors are requesting a term of more than 16 years.
Air Force prosecutors allege that Teixeira ignored orders from military superiors to stop delving into classified information. They also accuse him of obstructing justice by disposing of an iPad, computer hard drive, and iPhone after the leaks were discovered and instructing others online to delete their communications with him.