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By Lilith Foster-Collins
News Reporter
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Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira is set to be sentenced Tuesday at a federal court after pleading guilty to leaking highly classified military documents related to the war in Ukraine.
The 22-year-old Air National Guardsman from Massachusetts faces up to 17 years in prison.
Prosecutors said that Teixeira's actions represent one of the most severe breaches of the Espionage Act in recent memory.
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Teixeira, who held security clearance, had sworn an oath to protect sensitive U.S. information vital to national security and the safety of Americans overseas.
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In court filings, prosecutors contended that he "violated his oath, almost every day, for over a year."
Defense attorneys, however, are asking U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani for an 11-year sentence, acknowledging that while Teixeira made "a terrible decision," he has accepted responsibility and is ready for the consequences.
The defense said that 11 years would serve as a "serious and adequate" deterrent, noting that it amounts to nearly half Teixeira's lifetime.
Teixeira, from North Dighton, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in March to six counts of willfully retaining and transmitting national defense information under the Espionage Act.
This admission came almost a year after his arrest in connection with one of the most significant U.S. national security breaches in recent history.
Teixeira Shared Secrets on Discord
According to authorities, Teixeira gathered some of the government's most sensitive secrets and shared them with users on Discord, a social media platform.
His attorneys described Teixeira as an autistic, isolated individual who spent most of his time online, especially with his Discord community.
They said his actions, though criminal, were never meant to "harm the United States."
"Instead, his intent was to educate his friends about world events to make certain they were not misled by misinformation," the attorneys wrote. "To Jack, the Ukraine war was his generation's World War II or Iraq, and he needed someone to share the experience with."
Prosecutors said that Teixeira does not suffer from an intellectual disability that prevents him from knowing right from wrong.
They argued that Teixeira's postarrest diagnosis as having "mild, high-functioning" autism "is of questionable relevance in these proceedings."
How Did Teixeira Manage to Leak Pentagon Secrets?
The leak has drawn significant scrutiny over the U.S. government's ability to protect its secrets.
The Biden administration has since tightened protocols around classified information, and the Pentagon has disciplined personnel who failed to address Teixeira's suspicious behavior.
Teixeira, a member of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, remains in the Guard in an unpaid status.
Investigators say Teixeira initially shared details from the classified documents by typing them out and later posted photos of files marked SECRET and TOP SECRET.
Prosecutors also said he tried to cover his tracks before his arrest, and authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop and an Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at his house.
The leaked documents revealed unfiltered assessments of Russia's war in Ukraine, including sensitive details about Ukrainian troop movements.
Teixeira also reportedly shared intelligence on a foreign adversary's plans to harm U.S. forces abroad.
Which Politicians Defended Teixeira?
In 2023, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia defended Teixeira as a victim of "the Biden regime" for being "white, male, christian [sic], and anti-war."
Greene suggested that President Joe Biden's administration was "the real enemy" after the FBI arrested Teixeira.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson also praised Teixeira and alleged that the leaks prove that U.S. troops are "fighting Russian soldiers" in Ukraine, without providing evidence for his claim.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, warned against defending Teixeira.
The GOP senator said that it is "terribly irresponsible" for Congress members to justify Teixeira's actions as it puts America in "serious danger."
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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