Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who allegedly leaked highly classified defense documents, has been indicted on federal felony charges, according to the Justice Department.
The announcement came Thursday, detailing the indictment which includes six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information.
A federal magistrate judge ruled last month that Teixeira would remain behind bars as he awaits trial. Releasing the 21-year-old posed a risk of him fleeing the country or obstructing justice, argued U.S. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy.
Teixeira is facing charges for distributing the confidential military files on Discord, a popular social media site for online video gamers.
The files publicly revealed valuable, unfiltered evaluations of Russia’s war in Ukraine, other countries’ geopolitical resources, and other matters related to U.S. national security.
Judge Hennessy said the action signified “a profound breach of the defendant’s word that he would protect information related to the security of the United States.”
During court proceedings, the judge also noted Teixeira’s “fascination with guns,” disturbing statements he made online and claims from his military superiors about his poor handling of sensitive information.
Teixeira had apparently been caught by military colleagues months before his arrest taking notes on classified information and viewing intelligence material that was unrelated to his job.
Prosecutors claimed Teixeira had a history of violent rhetoric, citing old posts on social media where he said he wished to kill “a ton of people.”
Teixeira’s family expressed support for him and urged the judge to authorize his release, saying that he has no criminal history. But, for the time being, he remains behind bars.
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