Guardsman indicted on charges of disclosing classified national defense information

ERICA, THE JUDGE GRANTING THE MOTION TO DETAIN JACK TEIXEIRA WHILE HE IS AWAITING TRIAL AND THE JUDGE USING TEXAS OWN WORDS AND ONLINE CHATS AS REASONS WHY HE SHOULD REMAIN BEHIND BARS. FOR NOW, THE JUDGE SAYS THAT THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THE 21 YEAR OLD AIRMAN FROM DAYTON IS VERY STRONG AND THAT THERE WAS, QUOTE, A PROFOUND BREACH, UNQUOTE, OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION THAT PUT PEOPLE IN DANGER. THE JUDGE SAID THE PEOPLE PUT IN DANGER COULD FILL A PHONE BOOK. HIS HONOR EXPRESSED DOUBTS THAT TEIXEIRA WOULD FOLLOW ANY CONDITIONS OF RELEASE, POINTING TO HIS DISREGARD FOR DIRECTIVES FROM HIS SUPERIORS AT THE AIR BASE. WHEN TEIXEIRA WAS ALLEGEDLY CAUGHT ACCESSING OR MISUSING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE JUDGE POINTED TO THIS ONLINE CHAT EXCHANGE THAT INVOLVED TEIXEIRA AND SOME OTHERS, OTHER GAMERS. HE’S A USER ASKED HIM, ISN’T THIS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION? AND TEIXEIRA SAYS, QUOTE, EVERYTHING THAT I’VE BEEN TELLING YOU GUYS UP TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN LOL. THE USER ASKS IF HE TRUSTS EVERYONE ON THIS PLATFORM, AND TEIXEIRA REPLIES, I HAVE PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY AND NONE OF THEM KNOW ANYTHING INCRIMINATING ABOUT ME. THE JUDGE ADDED THAT THAT EXCHANGE AND OTHER SHOWS, QUOTE, HE WASN’T CONCERNED ABOUT ANYBODY BUT HIMSELF. SO AGAIN, TO SUMMARIZE, JACK TEIXEIRA WILL REMAIN BEHIND BARS AS HE AWAITS TRIAL. NO COMMENT FROM HIS FAMILY MEMBERS AS THEY LEFT THE COURTHOUSE. WE DO EXPECT A STATEMENT FROM A FAMILY SPOKESPERSON LATER THIS EVENING LIVE AT THE COURTHOUSE

The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents has been indicted on federal felony charges, the Justice Department said Thursday.Jack Teixeira faces six counts in the indictment of willful retention and transmission of national defense information.Video above: Judge outlines why he's ordered Jack Teixeira held until trialHe was arrested in April on charges of sharing highly classified military documents about Russia’s war in Ukraine and other top national security issues in a chat room on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers. The stunning breach exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the capabilities and geopolitical interests of other nations and other national security issues.“As laid out in the indictment, Jack Teixeira was entrusted by the United States government with access to classified national defense information — including information that reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if shared,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement announcing the indictment.Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.A judge last month ordered him to remain jailed as he awaits trial, saying that releasing Teixeira would pose a risk that he would attempt to flee the country or obstruct justice.His family has expressed support for him, and his lawyers had pressed the judge to release him to his father, saying he has no criminal history.

The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents has been indicted on federal felony charges, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Jack Teixeira faces six counts in the indictment of willful retention and transmission of national defense information.

Video above: Judge outlines why he's ordered Jack Teixeira held until trial

He was arrested in April on charges of sharing highly classified military documents about Russia’s war in Ukraine and other top national security issues in a chat room on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers. The stunning breach exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the capabilities and geopolitical interests of other nations and other national security issues.

“As laid out in the indictment, Jack Teixeira was entrusted by the United States government with access to classified national defense information — including information that reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if shared,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement announcing the indictment.

Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

A judge last month ordered him to remain jailed as he awaits trial, saying that releasing Teixeira would pose a risk that he would attempt to flee the country or obstruct justice.

His family has expressed support for him, and his lawyers had pressed the judge to release him to his father, saying he has no criminal history.

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