Jack Teixeira, stationed on Cape, may face court-martial for leaking classified documents

Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read
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Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman stationed on Cape Cod accused of leaking classified Pentagon information on Discord, could face a trial by court-martial.

During a Tuesday hearing at Hanscom Air Force Base, Air Force prosecutors urged a military hearing officer to make that recommendation.

Teixeira, 22, of North Dighton, pleaded guilty in March to all six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Joshua Levy has said Teixeira faces between 11 and 17 years in prison.

The preliminary hearing officer will review the evidence and determine whether probable cause exists to support charges against Teixeira, according to an Air Force spokesperson.

What was Teixeira charged with?

Teixeira faces charges of obstructing justice by destroying evidence on his devices and failing to obey a lawful order to stop accessing information not pertaining to his duties, according to the Air Force.

The preliminary hearing officer can also make recommendations to improve, change, or modify the charged language. Their recommendations will be forwarded to Major General Daniel DeVoe as the General Courts-Martial Convening Authority for final disposition.

Agents swarm a home in Dighton on April 13, 2023, where they detained Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, suspected then of leaking classified documents.
Agents swarm a home in Dighton on April 13, 2023, where they detained Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, suspected then of leaking classified documents.

DeVoe is not bound by the recommendations of the preliminary hearing officer and could pursue alternative disposition of the charges, according to the Air Force.

There is no timeline on when those decisions will be made, according to the spokesperson.

The former computer technician for the 102nd Intelligence Wing on Joint Base Cape Cod was said to have leaked more than 100 U.S. intelligence documents, according to the Department of Defense. The files contained highly sensitive information tied to the war in Ukraine, including data on military activities such as U.S. drone spy planes in the area, and Ukrainian forces’ use of ammunition.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Air Force urges trial by court-martial for Teixeira for leaked files