A federal judge sentenced Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. This occurred nearly a year after his arrest for leaking sensitive information. Teixeira admitted to illegally collecting national secrets and sharing them on the social media platform Discord.
Teixeira violated the trust of his position and made the deliberate decision to disclose classified information. He acknowledged sharing information about an adversary of the United States' plans to harm U.S. forces abroad. In a press conference, acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy stated that Teixeira "has paid a very high price for breaking the law and for the damage he caused."
Despite arguments about his intellectual disability, prosecutors determined that Teixeira endangered national security. Teixeira's 15-year sentence aims to serve as a deterrent against future leaks of national secrets. Before being sentenced, Teixeira apologized for his actions and pointed out the damage caused by his behavior.
Prosecutors highlighted that Teixeira's conduct caused historic damage that benefited U.S. adversaries. They argued that the 15-year sentence would send a clear message to any military member who might consider similar conduct. Teixeira, who was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, worked as a cyber transportation systems specialist.
The information leak raised alarm about the security of the United States' most closely guarded secrets and prompted the Biden administration to take steps to manage the diplomatic and military repercussions. Teixeira will remain in the Air National Guard without pay.
