Jack Teixeira Indicted For Alleged Classified Documents Mishandling

WASHINGTON, D.C. - According to The Justice Department, 21-year-old Jack Teixeira has been indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information related to the national defense, specifically National Defense Information. 

On April 13, 2023, Teixeira was arrested and charged with retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials, according to a criminal complaint. On May 19, 2023, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy approved the government's request for detention. Teixeira is currently being held in federal custody.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated that Jack Teixeira had access to classified national defense information, including information that could potentially cause serious harm to national security if shared. And FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that the allegations in the indictment indicate a significant breach of trust.

As of press time, The Washington Gazette could not locate statements on Teixeira's behalf from his lawyers.

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As per the charging documents, Teixeira joined the USANG in September 2019 and has been in possession of a Top Secret security clearance since 2021. According to allegations, Teixeira is accused of intentionally and unlawfully sharing National Defense Information classified as "TOP SECRET" or "SECRET" and/or Sensitive Compartmented Information on a social media platform with individuals who were not authorized to receive such information. This allegedly occurred starting in January 2022 and the information was believed to have the potential to harm the United States or benefit a foreign nation.

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According to the Justice Department, Teixeira allegedly shared National Defense Information on a social media platform using two methods. Teixeira is accused of accessing classified documents containing National Defense Information from a classified workstation at the Otis USANG Base and sharing the information in written paragraphs with other users on the social media platform. Images of classified documents were posted by Teixeira on a social media platform. 

The documents allegedly had standard classification markings such as "SECRET," "TOP SECRET," and SCI designations, suggesting that they contained sensitive information belonging to the US government. It has also been reported that a digital copy of a document containing national defense information was discovered in an account linked to Teixeira.

The offense of unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The sentence for a case will be determined by a federal judge who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Boston and Washington Field Offices. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations offered helpful support.

The Justice Department's prosecutors include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini, Jared C. Dolan, and Jason A. Casey for the District of Massachusetts, along with Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark from the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

The Justice Department notes that a criminal complaint is a statement of accusation and defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.