Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who leaked classified military documents about the Russia-Ukraine war and other secrets in the most serious breach in years, pleaded guilty on Monday, the Washington Post reported.
Teixeira, 22, accepted a maximum prison sentence of 16 years after appearing in Boston's federal courthouse and pleading guilty to all six counts of retaining and transmitting classified national defense information. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed not to charge him with further violations of the Espionage Act.
Teixeira also agreed to sit for a debriefing with members of the intelligence community, Department of Defense or Department of Justice and turn over any classified materials that may still be in his possession.
Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, has been held behind bars since his arrest on April 13, 2023 for allegedly leaking a trove of military secrets online.
WHO IS JACK TEIXEIRA, THE AIR NATIONAL GUARDSMEN BEHIND LEAKED CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS?
Teixeira was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, where he worked as a "cyber transport systems specialist." He held the highest level security clearance granted by the federal government for top secret information.
PENTAGON DOCUMENT LEAK HAS IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON NATIONAL SECURITY: SUCKS UP ‘A LOT OF OXYGEN’
Authorities say Teixeira started sharing classified documents on the online social platform Discord with a private group called "Thug Shaker Central" that consisted of roughly 20 to 30 young men.
The leaked documents mainly concern Russia's invasion of Ukraine but also include intelligence on China, the Middle East, Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and world leaders.
One member of the group told The New York Times that Teixeira seemed resigned to his fate in a conversation they had. He said Teixeira recounted, "I never wanted it to get like this. I prayed to God that this would never happen. And I prayed and prayed and prayed. Only God can decide what happens from now on."
Teixeira had previously pleaded not guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act.
