Air Force preps new military charges against convicted Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on May 1, 2024
(WASHINGTON)– Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to numerous federal crimes after leaking sensitive information online, will now face military criminal proceedings next month for alleged violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to an Air Force spokesperson.
“Following close coordination with the Department of Justice, the Air Force determined that separate and distinct charges should be preferred against A1C Jack Teixeira, for alleged misconduct related to his military duties,” the spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday.
The charges include failure to obey a lawful order and obstructing justice, according to a document detailing the military charges provided by the spokesperson.
The Air Force alleges in the first charge that Teixeira disobeyed an order “to cease and desist from accessing information not pertaining to his duties” at or near Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts sometime between Sept. 15, 2022, and April 13, 2023 — instead continuing to view information unrelated to his duties.
The second charge alleges that Teixeira disposed of an iPad, computer hard drive and cellphone “with intent to obstruct the due administration of justice in the case of himself, against whom the accused had reason to believe that there were or would be criminal proceedings pending,” on or around March 1 and on April 13, 2023.
The Air Force further alleges that Teixeira directed another individual to delete Discord messages he had sent “with intent to obstruct the due administration of justice in the case of himself,” on or around April 7, 2023.
These charges will be sent to an Article 32, Uniform Code of Military Justice hearing “where a neutral and detached officer will examine whether the evidence is sufficient to refer the charges to trial by courts-martial,” the spokesperson said.
The hearing is scheduled to take place at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts on May 14.
Teixeira was indicted by a federal grand jury last year on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense.
He pleaded guilty to all six charges and agreed to accept a 16-year prison sentence in March. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to charge him with additional counts under the Espionage Act. His sentencing is set for Sept. 27.
A defense official confirmed to ABC News in March that Teixeira remains on active duty in the Air Force and could face U.S. military charges after the civilian criminal charges have been adjudicated. As a Massachusetts Air National guardsman, he had been placed on Title 10 active duty status in the Air Force, which would determine if Teixeira should also face military criminal charges.
Federal prosecutors said Teixeira “accessed and printed hundreds of classified documents” and posted images of them on Discord prior to his arrest in April 2023.
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