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.
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.
A judge ordered former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani immediately to start paying the judgment against him for the former Georgia election workers that he defamed.
Lawyers for former president Donald Trump requested that the Supreme Court avoid taking on an appeal about whether Trump has immunity for his actions challenging the 2020 election results.
President Joe Biden said there's no question former President Donald Trump supported an insurrection but wouldn't give an opinion on Colorado banning Trump from the ballot.
Hamas says it will not negotiate for the release of any additional hostages until Israel's operation in Gaza ends.
Former President Donald Trump's bid to win back the White House is now threatened by two sentences added to the U.S. Constitution 155 years ago.
Parents are opting out of school vaccinations at the highest rate ever.
President Biden has reportedly released an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for jailed Americans.
Indiana's initial estimate for Medicaid expenses is nearly $1 billion short of its now-predicted need, state lawmakers learned in a report that ignited concern over the state's budget and access to the low-income healthcare program.
The IRS said Tuesday it is going to waive penalty fees for people who failed to pay back taxes that total less than $100,000 per year for tax years 2020 and 2021.
Senate leaders announced Tuesday that there will not be a vote this year on a border security package that included funding for Ukraine and Israel.
