Indictment issued for Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents

Jack Texeira, an Air National Guard member, has been indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified national defense information. The charges come after Texeira was arrested in April for sharing documents containing US intelligence matters. The indictment, consisting of 10 pages, presents a condensed version of the national secrets Texeira allegedly took from the Cape Cod air base and shared on Discord. If convicted, Texeira could face up to 60 years in prison.

The arrest was made by the Justice Department, which had been investigating the unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defense information. Despite initially using a pseudonym on Discord to share the secrets, Texeira was identified through his Instagram account, which was linked to his Steam profile. Notably, the kitchen countertop and floor tiles visible in the leaked photos matched those in his Instagram photos.

According to the indictment documents, Texeira mishandled classified information that included details on military equipment delivery to Ukraine, as well as information on Russian and Ukrainian troop movements. He also divulged documents that exposed US surveillance activities targeting foreign allies. Some of these documents were marked with the highest level of classification and were intended for viewing only within protected facilities.

Prior reports indicated that Texeira did not intend to blow the whistle but rather started sharing documents to impress his gaming friends. Initially, he transcribed sensitive information by hand due to the restrictions on cameras and phones at his workplace. However, he later managed to share original document photos. Prosecutors have presented evidence of Texeira’s history of making violent and racist threats. The Justice Department’s national security division argued for his indefinite detention, citing the possibility that he may still possess information of great value to hostile nations. Additionally, it was revealed that Air Force officials failed to take appropriate action against Texeira, despite discovering his involvement in copying sensitive details and actively searching for classified information months before his arrest.

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