Jack Teixeira; Alleged Pentagon Leaker Indicted By Federal Grand Jury

Jack Teixeira, a former Air National Guardsman, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Massachusetts on charges of willful retention and transmission of national defense information, CBS News reported.

Jack Teixeira; Alleged Pentagon Leaker Indicted By Federal Grand Jury (PHOTO: Dimsum Daily)

Jack Teixeira, Alleged Pentagon Leaker

Jack Teixeira, who worked as a systems administrator in the 102nd Intelligence Wing, allegedly used his position to access classified military information and disseminate it illegally to members of an online messaging platform.

The 21-year-old held a TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance and received training on handling classified information. In April, Jack Teixeira was arrested after classified documents were discovered in a Discord group and subsequently shared online. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on the criminal complaint earlier this year but has yet to be arraigned on the newly unsealed indictment.

According to the indictment, Teixeira retained and transmitted classified documents, including information about a foreign adversary’s compromise, equipment provision to Ukraine, and a government document discussing a plot against U.S. forces abroad. Prosecutors allege that Teixeira transcribed the information and posted photographs of the documents in some instances.

Investigators found that Jack Teixeira sent over 40,000 messages on Discord, some of which contained sensitive government records. He accessed the classified information in February 2022 and began sharing it online. In Discord messages, Teixeira admitted to posting classified material and even asked other members about their interests in specific countries or topics.

READ ALSO: National Security At Risk – Leaked Classified Documents On Ukraine War Pose Threat To U.S

Jack Teixeira Intentions Cited By Prosecutors

The investigation also revealed conversations where Jack Teixeira instructed others to delete messages and obstruct the investigation into the leaked Pentagon records. His previous suspension from high school in 2018 due to violent rhetoric and his online statements expressing violent intentions have been cited by prosecutors.

Jack Teixeira’s legal team has referred to the government’s allegations as “hyperbolic” and shifted blame to other members of the Discord chat for the widespread dissemination of the documents. He is currently detained, and his new attorney, Michael Bachrach, has declined to comment on the case.

The indictment and subsequent legal proceedings will shed further light on the alleged actions of Jack Teixeira and the potential impact of the leaked classified information.

READ ALSO: Classified Pentagon Papers Leaked On Social Media Include Ukraine, Middle East, China Secrets