Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira, 22, is sentenced to 16 YEARS in jail
- Teixeira leaked paperwork relating to Russia’s struggle in Ukraine and different nationwide safety issues, prosecutors say
- The 22-year-old agreed to plead responsible to all six counts charging him with willful retention and transmission of nationwide protection data as a part of a deal
- In return, prosecutors agreed to not cost him with additional counts underneath the Espionage Act, and he accepted a 16-year jail time period
Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira has pleaded responsible to leaking extremely categorized army paperwork about Russia‘s struggle in Ukraine and different nationwide safety secrets and techniques.
The 22-year-old admitted all six counts regarding willful retention and transmission of nationwide protection data in probably the most consequential nationwide safety leak in years – and accepted a 16-year jail time period as a part of a plea deal Monday.
In return, Boston prosecutors agreed to not cost him with additional counts underneath the Espionage Act.
Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, has been behind bars since his April arrest.
His case raised alarm over America’s skill to guard its most carefully guarded secrets and techniques and compelled the Biden administration to scramble to attempt to include diplomatic and army fallout.
Jack Teixeira beforehand pleaded not responsible to the costs surrounding his alleged posting of categorized paperwork on the social media platform Discord, however prosecutors have now requested the federal decide to schedule a change of plea listening to for Monday.
FBI brokers arrest Teixeira, an worker of the U.S. Air Force National Guard, in reference to an investigation into the leaks on-line of categorized U.S. paperwork, outdoors a residence on this nonetheless picture taken from video in North Dighton, Massachusetts, on April 13, 2023
Jack Douglas Teixeira is seen on this picture from his 2020 High School yearbook. Teixeira graduated from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in Massachusetts
The leak led the Pentagon to tighten controls to safeguard categorized data, and the Air Force disciplined 15 personnel as its inspector basic discovered final yr that a number of officers deliberately did not take required motion about Teixeira’s suspicious habits.
Under the phrases of his plea deal, Teixeira should additionally attend a debrief with the Defense Department and the Justice Department, and return any delicate supplies he nonetheless possesses.
Teixeira, who was 21 on the time of his arrest, beforehand pleaded not responsible to 6 counts of willful retention and transmission of nationwide protection data underneath the Espionage Act.
Each depend is punishable by as much as 10 years in jail.
A decide final yr ordered Teixeira to stay behind bars whereas he awaits trial after prosecutors revealed he had a historical past of violent rhetoric and warned that U.S. adversaries who may be all in favour of mining Teixeira for data might assist him escape.
Before he pleaded responsible, Teixeira remained within the Air National Guard in an unpaid standing, the Air Force stated.
Teixeira was a part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts when authorities say he illegally collected army secrets and techniques and shared them with different customers on Discord, a social media platform widespread with folks taking part in on-line video games.
Investigators say Teixeira was accountable for a gaggle on the platform referred to as Thug Shaker Central, through which weapons and wars have been mentioned.
Teixeira, 22, was indicted on six counts of willful retention of nationwide protection data and the next leaking of it
The US Department of Justice launched picture proof collected in the course of the investigation into US Air National Guardsman accused of leaking categorized paperwork on-line
Teixeira joined the Air National Guard in 2019 and started final January to share army secrets and techniques together with his Discord friends.
Chats between the 22-year-old and members of the Discord group point out that his actions might have been motivated extra by bravado than any particular ideology.
Prosecutors have urged the decide to maintain the defendant locked up because the case performs out for causes together with a big arsenal of weapons discovered at his home and a historical past of disturbing on-line statements.
Investigators say Teixeira was accountable for a gaggle on the platform referred to as Thug Shaker Central, through which weapons and wars have been mentioned
In one social media put up, he wrote that if he might, he would kill a ‘ton of individuals’ as a result of it could be ‘culling the weak minded.’
Judge Indira Talwani denied him bail after figuring out that ‘No set of launch circumstances will moderately guarantee the protection of the neighborhood, or stop destruction of proof.’
Teixeira labored as a ‘cyber transport techniques specialist,’ primarily an IT specialist accountable for army communications networks.
Authorities stated he first typed out categorized paperwork he accessed after which started sharing images of information that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings.
Teixeira’s crimes have been uncovered on April 6 final yr – the identical day the New York Times ran a narrative concerning the leaked paperwork.
The leak uncovered to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, the capabilities and geopolitical pursuits of different nations and different nationwide safety points.
Allies then needed to be reassured that their secrets and techniques have been being effectively safeguarded by the US authorities.
Prosecutors have stated little about an alleged motive. But members of the Discord group described Teixeira as somebody seeking to exhibit, fairly than being motivated by a want to tell the general public about U.S. army operations or to affect American coverage.
Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, seated second from proper, is accused of leaking extremely categorized army paperwork on a social media platform
Prosecutors have stated little about an alleged motive. But members of the Discord group described Teixeira as somebody seeking to exhibit, fairly than being motivated by a want to tell the general public about U.S. army operations or to affect American coverage
Prosecutors have stated Teixeira continued to leak authorities secrets and techniques even after he was warned by superiors about mishandling and improper viewing of categorized data for which he didn’t have permission to view.
In one occasion, Teixeira was seen taking notes on intelligence data and placing them in his pocket.
Even after the warning, he was once more flagged for wanting by way of data circuitously associated to the intelligence subject.
Authorities haven’t supplied a lot perception into attainable motives for Teixeira’s habits.
The Air Force inspector basic discovered that members ‘deliberately did not report the total particulars’ of Teixeira’s unauthorized intelligence-seeking as a result of they thought safety officers would possibly overreact.
For instance, whereas Teixeira was confronted concerning the observe, there was no observe up to make sure the observe had been shredded and the incident was not reported to safety officers.
It was not till a January 2023 incident that the suitable safety officers have been notified, however even then safety officers weren’t briefed on the total scope of the violations.
