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Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to face military justice proceeding, officials say

Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to face military justice proceeding, officials say
WITH MORE SARA. JESSICA AND BEN AS PART OF THIS PLEA DEAL, BOTH SIDES AGREED TO A RANGE OF PRISON TIME FROM 11 YEARS TO NEARLY 17 YEARS, AND A JUDGE WILL ULTIMATELY DECIDE HOW LONG HE WILL SERVE OUT HIS SENTENCE. IT WAS APRIL OF LAST YEAR WHEN JACK TEIXEIRA WAS SEEN READING THE BIBLE ON HIS BACK PORCH IN DIGHTON, JUST MOMENTS BEFORE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY. TODAY, THE 22 YEAR OLD, PLEADING GUILTY TO ALL COUNTS AS PART OF A DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS, SAYS HE VIOLATED HIS DUTY TO PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THE FORMER AIRMAN WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD NOW ADMITS USING HIS TOP SECRET CLEARANCE TO REMOVE AND SHARE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WHILE WORKING AS AN IT SPECIALIST AT THE OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY HE POSTED INFORMATION INCLUDING PHOTOS OF DOCUMENTS TO A SOCIAL MEDIA SITE CALLED DISCORD. THE INTEL REVEALED TROOP MOVEMENTS IN UKRAINE, AMONG OTHER SENSITIVE NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETS. IN DOING SO, MR. TEIXEIRA CALLOUSLY DISREGARDED THE NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND HE BETRAYED HIS SOLEMN OATH TO DEFEND THE COUNTRY. AN INVESTIGATORS DISCOVERED ONLINE CHATS IN WHICH TEIXEIRA BRAGS TO FELLOW USERS THAT HE KNEW SHARING DOCUMENTS WAS ILLEGAL. HE READILY ADMITTED THAT IT WAS, AND HE SAID THAT HE DIDN’T CARE AND THAT HE WOULDN’T GET CAUGHT. DO YOU THINK YOUR SON HAS BEEN TREATED FAIRLY? THE FAMILY OF JACK TEIXEIRA DID NOT MAKE ANY COMMENT LEAVING COURT TODAY, BUT IN A STATEMENT SAYS IN PART, AS PARENTS IT IS UNFATHOMABLE TO THINK YOUR CHILD WOULD EVER BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING SO SERIOUS. BUT HE HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS PART IN THIS AND HERE WE ARE ABOVE ALL, JACK IS A GOOD PERSON. HE IS SIGNIFICANTLY REMORSEFUL FOR HIS CONDUCT. HE’S ACCEPTED FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS CONDUCT. NOW THE JUDGE WILL DECIDE THE SENTENCE AT A HEARING IN SEPTEMBER AND TEIXEIRA’S ATTORNEY SAYS HE WILL BE MAKING A STATEMENT AT THAT HEARING. THE U-S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE SAYS THEY WILL BE PUSHING FOR THE HIGHER END, CLOSER TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON.
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Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to face military justice proceeding, officials say
Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets, will face a military justice proceeding later this month, officials said Wednesday.Related video above: Teixeira recently pleaded guilty to leaking military secretsTeixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, faces two charges in the military justice system, including obstructing justice and failing to obey a lawful order, Air Force officials said. Prosecutors will present evidence during the military proceeding on May 14 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. The case could then move to a court-martial, if it's determined that there's sufficient evidence of the charges.The military proceeding comes nearly two months after Teixeira pleaded guilty in federal court to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act. That was close to a year after he was arrested in the most consequential national security leak in years. In court, he admitted illegally collecting some of the nation's most sensitive secrets and sharing them with other users on Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games. Teixeira, who was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, worked as a cyber transport systems specialist, essentially an information technology specialist responsible for military communications networks.A spokesperson for Teixeira's family said they had no comment Wednesday and his attorneys in his criminal case didn't immediately respond to an email.The stunning security breach raised alarm over America's ability to protect its most closely guarded secrets and forced the Biden administration to scramble to try to contain diplomatic and military fallout. The leaks embarrassed the Pentagon, which tightened controls to safeguard classified information and disciplined members found to have intentionally failed to take required action about Teixeira's suspicious behavior.Authorities said he first typed out classified documents he accessed and then began sharing photographs of files that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings. Prosecutors also said he tried to cover his tracks before his arrest, and authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop and Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at his house. The leak exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia's war in Ukraine, including information about troop movements in Ukraine and the provision of supplies and equipment to Ukrainian troops. Teixeira also admitted posting information about a U.S. adversary's plans to harm U.S. forces serving overseas.__Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.

Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets, will face a military justice proceeding later this month, officials said Wednesday.

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Related video above: Teixeira recently pleaded guilty to leaking military secrets

Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, faces two charges in the military justice system, including obstructing justice and failing to obey a lawful order, Air Force officials said. Prosecutors will present evidence during the military proceeding on May 14 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. The case could then move to a court-martial, if it's determined that there's sufficient evidence of the charges.

The military proceeding comes nearly two months after Teixeira pleaded guilty in federal court to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act. That was close to a year after he was arrested in the most consequential national security leak in years.

In court, he admitted illegally collecting some of the nation's most sensitive secrets and sharing them with other users on Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games.

Teixeira, who was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, worked as a cyber transport systems specialist, essentially an information technology specialist responsible for military communications networks.

A spokesperson for Teixeira's family said they had no comment Wednesday and his attorneys in his criminal case didn't immediately respond to an email.

The stunning security breach raised alarm over America's ability to protect its most closely guarded secrets and forced the Biden administration to scramble to try to contain diplomatic and military fallout. The leaks embarrassed the Pentagon, which tightened controls to safeguard classified information and disciplined members found to have intentionally failed to take required action about Teixeira's suspicious behavior.

Authorities said he first typed out classified documents he accessed and then began sharing photographs of files that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings. Prosecutors also said he tried to cover his tracks before his arrest, and authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop and Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at his house.

The leak exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia's war in Ukraine, including information about troop movements in Ukraine and the provision of supplies and equipment to Ukrainian troops. Teixeira also admitted posting information about a U.S. adversary's plans to harm U.S. forces serving overseas.

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Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.