Jack Teixeira, in T-shirt and shorts, being taken into custody by armed tactical agents on April 13, 2023, in Dighton, Mass. WCVB-TV via Associated Press, file
The U.S. airman convicted in a sprawling leak of classified government secrets that revealed sensitive intelligence about America’s allies and adversaries will face military criminal proceedings later this month, Air Force officials said Wednesday.
Jack D. Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard who in March pleaded guilty to a raft of federal crimes, faces charges under the military justice system of obstructing justice and failing to obey a lawful order, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.
The Air Force intends to hold a hearing to review evidence May 14 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, the officials said. If prosecutors present a sufficient case, the case could then move to a court-martial trial.
It was not immediately clear who would represent Teixeira during the military proceedings. A spokesperson for his family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Air Force’s disciplinary proceedings raise the prospect that Teixeira, 22, could face additional time in confinement after he completes his federal sentence. He faces more than 16 years in prison as part of his plea deal with the Justice Department.
Teixeira posted hundreds of classified national security materials on Discord, a chat app popular with video gamers, disclosing U.S. government assessments about matters such as vulnerabilities in Ukrainian air defenses and terrorist plotting in Afghanistan.
The leak embarrassed the Pentagon and exposed serious security gaps that resulted in disciplinary action for at least 15 of Teixeira’s colleagues and supervisors.
An Air Force investigation completed last year found a “culture of complacency” and lack of supervision within his unit at Otis Air National Guard Base, an installation on Cape Cod. While Teixeira is believed to have worked alone to smuggle classified documents out of his workplace and post photographs of them online, the investigation found, other members of his unit were aware that he had accessed material that was supposed to be off-limits to him.
In the Air Force’s criminal case, Teixeira, an airman 1st class, faces a special court-martial trial, a process that limits potential imprisonment to one year. Teixeira could face a variety of additional punishments, including a bad-conduct discharge and a demotion in rank.
One of the Air Force officials who confirmed the forthcoming proceedings said the service has closely coordinated with the Justice Department. Teixeira is subject to prosecution by both because he was on active-duty orders when he leaked the classified information, the official said.
Shane Harris contributed to this report.
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