Pentagon leaker Teixeira faces up to 17 years in prison

Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to leaking top-secret military documents related to the war in Ukraine.

The 22-year-old Air National Guardsman from Massachusetts faces up to 17 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Teixeira's actions constituted one of the most serious violations of the Espionage Act in recent memory.

Teixeira, who held a security clearance, had sworn an oath to protect sensitive U.S. information critical to national security and the safety of Americans abroad.

In court filings, prosecutors alleged he “violated his oath almost every day for over a year.”

Defense attorneys, however, are asking U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani for an 11-year prison sentence, acknowledging that while Teixeira made “a terrible decision,” he accepted responsibility and was prepared to face the consequences.

The defense said 11 years would constitute a “serious and appropriate” deterrent, noting that it represented almost half of Teixeira's lifetime.

Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in March to six counts of intentionally storing and transmitting national defense information under the Espionage Act.

This admission came almost a year after his arrest in connection with one of the most serious breaches of US national security in modern history.

Teixeira shared secrets on Discord

According to authorities, Teixeira collected some of the government's most sensitive secrets and shared them with users on Discord, a social media platform.

His lawyers described Teixeira as an autistic, isolated person who spent most of his time online, particularly with his Discord community.

They said his actions, while criminal, were never intended to “harm the United States.”

“Instead, his intent was to educate his friends about world events to ensure that they were not misled by misinformation,” the lawyers wrote. “For Jack, the Ukraine War was the Second World War or the Iraq of his generation, and he needed someone to share that experience with.”

Prosecutors said Teixeira does not suffer from a mental disability that prevents him from knowing right from wrong.

They argued that Teixeira's post-arrest diagnosis that he had “mild, high-functioning” autism was “of questionable relevance to these proceedings.”

How did Teixeira manage to leak Pentagon secrets?

The leak has raised significant doubts about the U.S. government's ability to protect its secrets.

The Biden administration has since tightened classified information protocols, and the Pentagon has disciplined employees who did not address Teixeira's suspicious behavior.

Teixeira, a member of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, remains in the Guard on an unpaid status.

According to investigators, Teixeira first shared details from the secret documents by typing them and later published photos of files marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET.”

Prosecutors also said he tried to cover his tracks before his arrest and that authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop and Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at his home.

The leaked documents revealed unfiltered assessments of Russia's war in Ukraine, including sensitive details about Ukrainian troop movements.

Teixeira also reportedly shared information about a foreign adversary's plans to harm U.S. forces abroad.

Which politicians defended Teixeira?

In 2023, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia defended Teixeira as a victim of the “Biden regime” because she is “white, male, Christian.” [sic]and anti-war.”

Greene suggested that President Joe Biden's administration was “the real enemy” after the FBI arrested Teixeira.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson also praised Teixeira, claiming that the leaks prove that U.S. troops in Ukraine are “fighting Russian soldiers” without providing evidence to support his claim.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, warned against defending Teixeira.

The Republican senator said it would be “terribly irresponsible” for members of Congress to justify Teixeira's actions because it puts America in “grave danger.”

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press