Boston: Jack Teixeira, a 23-year-old former member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for leaking classified U.S. national security documents, has been sentenced to a dishonorable discharge after pleading guilty to military obstruction charges. A military judge at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts handed down the sentence on Thursday as part of a plea agreement that ensures Teixeira will serve no additional prison time, concluding the court-martial proceedings that began earlier this week.
The military charges stemmed from what U.S. officials described as one of the most significant leaks of classified intelligence in recent years, including sensitive documents related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The sentencing was confirmed by Military Judge Colonel Vicki Marcus and an Air Force spokesperson. Teixeira’s family representative also acknowledged the plea agreement.
Teixeira retains the right to appeal. His attorney, Lieutenant Colonel Bradley Poronsky, argued on Monday that the obstruction charges constituted double jeopardy, as the U.S. Department of Justice had already prosecuted him following his arrest in April 2023.
During the proceedings, Teixeira expressed regret but maintained that he felt a moral obligation to expose what he described as “lies” from Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration regarding the war in Ukraine. He also claimed the Justice Department had been “weaponized” against both him and former President Donald Trump, calling on Trump to reverse his conviction and penalties if re-elected. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
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According to prosecutors, Teixeira began accessing classified intelligence in January 2022 while serving as an airman first class at Otis Air National Guard Base in Cape Cod. He then disseminated the information to individuals on the messaging platform Discord. Following the discovery of the leaks in April 2023, Air Force prosecutors say Teixeira attempted to obstruct justice by destroying an iPad, a computer hard drive, and an iPhone, while also instructing an acquaintance to delete messages he had posted online.
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The Air Force pursued the obstruction charges even after Teixeira had pleaded guilty in March 2024 to separate federal charges of willfully retaining and transmitting classified national defense information. A federal judge in Boston sentenced him in November 2024 to 15 years in prison for those offenses.
