A federal judge has sentenced former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira to 15 years in prison for leaking classified military documents online. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act.
During Tuesday's sentencing, Teixeira expressed remorse, stating "All of the responsibility falls on my shoulders, and I accept what that may bring." He apologized for causing harm to friends, family, and those affected overseas by his actions.
Judge Indira Talwani highlighted that Teixeira leaked the documents despite receiving extensive training about handling classified materials and prior warnings about his conduct. According to prosecutors, Teixeira shared hundreds of classified documents almost daily for over a year on Discord, a social media platform popular among gamers.
FBI Special Agent Jodi Cohen described Teixeira as "one of the most prolific leakers of classified information in American history." The leaked documents contained sensitive details about the war in Ukraine, including troop movements and equipment supplies, as well as information about potential threats to U.S. forces abroad.
Teixeira accessed these documents while working as a cyber transport systems specialist at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, where he held top-secret security clearance since 2021. Prosecutors said he shared the information partly to impress his online peers.
His defense team sought a lighter sentence, citing his autism and isolation during the pandemic as contributing factors. They argued that his intent was to educate friends about world events rather than harm the United States.
The security breach prompted the Pentagon to strengthen its protocols for protecting classified information and led to disciplinary actions against personnel who failed to address Teixeira's suspicious behavior.
"We won't know the full extent of Jack Teixeira's damage for several years," prosecutors noted, emphasizing the case's lasting impact on national security.