Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air Nationwide Guard member who pleaded responsible final yr to leaking extremely categorised army paperwork concerning the conflict in Ukraine on-line, started his court-martial on extra fees Monday.
Teixeira pleaded responsible final March to 6 counts of willful retention and transmission of nationwide protection info underneath the Espionage Act, following his arrest within the most consequential nationwide safety breach in years.
In November, he was sentenced to fifteen years in jail in what then-Lawyer Normal Merrick Garland stated was a punishment that “demonstrates the seriousness of the obligation to protect our country’s secrets and the safety of the American people.”
In his court-martial at Hanscom Air Power Base in Massachusetts, Teixeira faces fees of disobeying orders and obstructing justice.
His lawyer argued Monday for dismissal of the obstructing justice cost, with Lt. Col. Bradley Poronsky saying it could quantity to double jeopardy as a result of it already got here up at Teixeira’s November sentencing.
Nevertheless, prosecutors disagreed. The army decide then took the matter underneath advisement and postponed the continuing till Thursday.
At a listening to final yr, army prosecutors stated a court-martial is suitable provided that obeying orders is the “absolute core” of the army.
Teixeira’s attorneys argued that additional motion would quantity to prosecuting him twice for a similar offense.
The leaks uncovered to the world unvarnished secret assessments of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, together with details about troop actions in Ukraine, and the availability of provides and gear to Ukrainian troops.
Teixeira additionally admitted posting details about a US adversary’s plans to hurt US forces serving abroad.
The 22-year-old beforehand admitted he illegally collected a few of the nation’s most delicate secrets and techniques and shared them with different customers on the social media platform Discord.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry for all the harm that I brought and caused,” Teixeira stated earlier than his sentencing in US District Court docket in Boston in November.
“I understand all the responsibility and consequences fall upon my shoulders alone and accept whatever that will bring.”
Afterward, Teixeira hugged one in all his attorneys, seemed towards his household and smiled earlier than being led from court docket. His household left with out commenting to reporters, however his mom and others submitted letters to the court docket searching for leniency.
″I do know Jack deeply regrets his actions and is able to settle for his punishment for his half on this state of affairs,” his mom, Daybreak Dufault, wrote. “While I understand the severity of his charges and the importance of ensuring justice, I implore you, Your Honor, to consider Jack’s true nature and his unique challenges, as I have observed over the years.”
The safety breach raised alarm over the nation’s skill to guard its most carefully guarded secrets and techniques and compelled the Biden administration to scramble to attempt to comprise the diplomatic and army fallout.
The leaks additionally embarrassed the Pentagon, which tightened controls to safeguard categorised info and disciplined members discovered to have deliberately did not take required motion about Teixeira’s suspicious habits.
Former FBI Director Chris Wray stated in November that “Teixeira’s criminal conduct placed our nation, our troops, and our allies at great risk.”
“The FBI will continue to work diligently with our partners to protect classified information and ensure that those who turn their backs on their country face justice,” Wray stated.
Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, was a part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air Nationwide Guard Base in Massachusetts.
He labored as a cyber transport programs specialist, which is actually an info know-how specialist answerable for army communications networks.
He stays within the Air Nationwide Guard in an unpaid standing, an Air Power official advised the Related Press.
Authorities stated he first typed out categorised paperwork he accessed after which started sharing images of recordsdata that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings.
Prosecutors additionally stated Teixeira tried to cowl his tracks earlier than his April 2022 arrest.
Authorities discovered a smashed pill, laptop computer and an Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at his home.
Fox Information’ Greg Norman and The Related Press contributed to this report.
