Prosecutors sought 17 years imprisonment for ‘vital’ violations of the Espionage Act.
Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, has been jailed for 15 years for leaking labeled paperwork in regards to the conflict in Ukraine and different army secrets and techniques.
A federal decide in Boston, United States, on Tuesday sentenced the 22-year-old after he pleaded guilty earlier this yr to 6 counts of wilful retention and transmission of nationwide defence info beneath the Espionage Act.
Prosecutors had argued for a 17-year sentence for Teixeira, saying he “perpetrated one of the vital vital and consequential violations of the Espionage Act in American historical past”.
“The defendant took an oath to defend the USA and to guard its secrets and techniques – secrets and techniques which can be very important to US nationwide safety and the bodily security of People serving abroad,” prosecutors wrote. “Teixeira violated his oath, nearly daily, for over a yr.”
Breach raised questions on US means to guard secrets and techniques
Teixeira, from North Dighton, Massachusetts, was a part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air Nationwide Guard Base, positioned on Cape Cod.
He labored as a cyber-transport programs specialist – basically an info expertise specialist liable for army communications networks.
Authorities mentioned he shared the labeled paperwork on the messaging app Discord.
Teixeira started by typing out copies that he then printed on-line.
Later, he photographed the recordsdata, a few of which bore “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET” markings.
The paperwork included details about allies and adversaries together with troop actions in Ukraine and prime secret details about Israel’s Mossad spy company. Teixeira additionally admitted posting details about a US adversary’s plans to hurt US forces serving abroad.
The breach raised questions in regards to the US’s means to guard its secrets and techniques and embarrassed the administration of President Joe Biden, which scrambled to include the diplomatic and army fallout.
Teixeira’s legal professionals requested for a lighter sentence of 11 years, arguing their shopper had no political aim and was not working as a spy for a international authorities. Of their sentencing doc, they acknowledged their shopper had “made a horrible determination which he repeated over 14 months”.
“As a substitute, his intent was to coach his associates about world occasions to make sure they weren’t misled by misinformation,” the legal professionals wrote.
“To Jack, the Ukraine conflict was his technology’s World Battle II or Iraq, and he wanted somebody to share the expertise with.”
They famous that Teixeira had by no means been convicted of a criminal offense earlier than.
However prosecutors countered that Teixeira didn’t undergo from any mental incapacity that might forestall him from understanding proper from unsuitable, including that his post-arrest prognosis of “gentle, high-functioning” autism was of “questionable relevance” to the case.
‘I needed to say, ‘I’m sorry”
Teixeira apologised to the court docket for his actions earlier than he was sentenced by the US District Choose Indira Talwani.
“I needed to say, ‘I’m sorry for all of the hurt that I introduced and brought about’,” Texeira mentioned referring to the “maelstrom” he brought about household and associates.
“I perceive all of the duty and penalties fall upon my shoulders alone and settle for no matter that can convey,” he mentioned. Teixeira hugged one in all his legal professionals and appeared in direction of his household and smiled earlier than being led out of court docket.
He can’t be charged with any additional Espionage Act violations beneath the phrases of his responsible plea.
