Jack Teixeira, a 22-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, has pleaded guilty to leaking classified military information. He will now serve a 16-year prison sentence following a plea agreement. Teixeira faced six counts of transmitting national defense information under the Espionage Act, with penalties potentially amounting to 10 years per count. In addition to the prison term, he is fined $50,000 and will have 36 months of supervised release.

Teixeira accessed and shared the classified documents through his work with the 102nd Intelligence Wing, disseminating them on Discord to impress friends within a gaming community. The leaked information included sensitive details on military operations, notably regarding Russia’s ground operations in Ukraine, Ukraine’s air defenses, and aspects of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. This incident marks a significant breach in U.S. national security, likened in severity to the 2010 WikiLeaks publications.

His arrest in April 2023 led to disciplinary actions within his unit, including the removal of Teixeira’s commanding officer and reprimands for 14 other personnel. Despite earlier reprimands for seeking classified information, Teixeira continued his activities unabated until his actions were uncovered through postings on Discord, some of which involved content deemed harmful and racist.

As part of the plea deal, Teixeira is obligated to cooperate with the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, assisting in the inquiry into his leaks and returning any classified information in his possession. He has not received pay since his prosecution commenced and remains considered a member of the Air National Guard until further notice.