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Massachusetts Air National Guard Member to Face Military Justice Proceeding for Leaking Classified Documents
Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets, is set to face a military justice proceeding later this month. Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, faces charges of obstructing justice and failing to obey a lawful order in the military justice system.
The case will be presented on May 14 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, where prosecutors will present evidence. If there is sufficient evidence of the charges, the case could move to a court-martial. This comes after Teixeira pleaded guilty in federal court to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act.
Teixeira, who worked as a cyber transport systems specialist at the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, admitted to illegally collecting sensitive secrets and sharing them on Discord, a social media platform. The leak raised concerns about America’s ability to protect its secrets and led to tightened controls on classified information by the Pentagon.
The breach exposed secret assessments of Russia’s war in Ukraine, including troop movements and supplies to Ukrainian troops. Teixeira also posted information about a U.S. adversary’s plans to harm U.S. forces overseas. The leak forced the Biden administration to address diplomatic and military fallout.
Authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop, and Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at Teixeira’s house, indicating an attempt to cover his tracks. The leak was described as one of the most consequential national security breaches in years, prompting the Pentagon to take action to prevent similar incidents in the future.
