Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air Nationwide Guard member who pleaded responsible final yr to leaking extremely categorised army paperwork in regards to the warfare in Ukraine on-line, started his court-martial on extra costs Monday.
Teixeira pleaded responsible final March to 6 counts of willful retention and transmission of nationwide protection info beneath 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-Legal professional Common Merrick Garland mentioned was a punishment that “demonstrates the seriousness of the duty to guard our nation’s secrets and techniques and the security of the American individuals.”
In his court-martial at Hanscom Air Drive Base in Massachusetts, Teixeira faces costs of disobeying orders and obstructing justice.
His lawyer argued Monday for dismissal of the obstructing justice cost, with Lt. Col. Bradley Poronsky saying it might quantity to double jeopardy as a result of it already got here up at Teixeira’s November sentencing.
Nonetheless, prosecutors disagreed. The army choose then took the matter beneath advisement and postponed the continuing till Thursday.
At a listening to final yr, army prosecutors mentioned a court-martial is acceptable 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 warfare, 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 needed to say I’m sorry for all of the hurt that I introduced and brought about,” Teixeira mentioned earlier than his sentencing in US District Court docket in Boston in November.
“I perceive all of the duty and penalties fall upon my shoulders alone and settle for no matter that may convey.”
Afterward, Teixeira hugged certainly one of his attorneys, regarded 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 in search of leniency.
″I do know Jack deeply regrets his actions and is able to settle for his punishment for his half on this scenario,” his mom, Daybreak Dufault, wrote. “Whereas I perceive the severity of his costs and the significance of making certain justice, I implore you, Your Honor, to contemplate Jack’s true nature and his distinctive challenges, as I’ve noticed over time.”
The safety breach raised alarm over the nation’s potential 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 didn’t take required motion about Teixeira’s suspicious conduct.
Former FBI Director Chris Wray mentioned in November that “Teixeira’s prison conduct positioned our nation, our troops, and our allies at nice threat.”
“The FBI will proceed to work diligently with our companions to guard categorised info and make sure that those that flip their backs on their nation face justice,” Wray mentioned.
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 expertise specialist answerable for army communications networks.
He stays within the Air Nationwide Guard in an unpaid standing, an Air Drive official instructed the Related Press.
Authorities mentioned he first typed out categorised paperwork he accessed after which started sharing images of information that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings.
Prosecutors additionally mentioned 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.
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