The secrecy continues in the sentencing of Massachusetts military leaker Jack Teixeira

Former Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who shared military secrets with online video game peers is getting closer to conviction — but lawyers are trying to keep even more details from the public.

Jack Teixeira faces a maximum of 16 years and eight months on six counts the intentional withholding and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act, according to his plea agreement. He pleaded guilty in federal court in March.

He was originally scheduled to be sentenced in September, but it was rescheduled in August to November 12. Judge Indira Talwani told lawyers during the plea hearing that sentencing briefs must be filed two weeks before the sentencing hearing date.

As the date approaches, his lawyers are now asking to be allowed to file their sentencing brief, which calls for a specific sentence and provides the legal basis for such a sentence, under seal because the materials they want to include are of “sensitivity”. ” nature.

In a motion filed Friday, defense attorneys write that one exhibit included in their brief is “a neuropsychological evaluation that contains protected health information about Mr. Teixeira that should not be publicly available,” and another is an inspector’s report general of the Air Department. Force that itself was deposited under seal. They say the memo itself will quote from these documents.

“The councilor discussed with the Government, which agrees with this request. Consistent with the parties’ discussion, Mr. Teixeira will subsequently file a redacted version of his sentencing memorandum, which will redact any information that is the subject of the protective order, except for that which is publicly available from other sources,” the motion filed by attorneys Michael Bachrach and states Brendan Kelley.

In a case that drew national attention, the feds arrested Teixeira in April 2023 from North Dighton residence of one of his parents and initially charged with the unauthorized removal and transmission of national defense information and the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. He was indicted in June on the six counts to which he allegedly pleaded guilty.

Teixeira, who served as a Rider for Cyber ​​Defense Operations at Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod, leaked more than 40 highly classified military documents, including many related to Russia’s war in Ukraine, to a group of fellow video game players participating in discussions on a Discord server he ran . A “server” is what the gaming-dominated social media platform Discord calls individual groups or forums.

The leaked documents had at least some geopolitical effect quite early according to several reports. The documents include a US intelligence analysis of Taiwan’s air defenses that show it could be vulnerable to a Chinese attack. Specifically, only half of Taiwan’s aircraft would be “fully mission capable” in a surprise attack.

It also had an effect on military security both locally and nationally. Fifteen of his fellow airmen at his base they were disciplined because he allowed the leak to happen and his unit was stripped of his mission.

Due to the nature of the material Teixeira leaked, the case itself remained highly classified from the start, with U.S. District Judge David H. Hennessy. issuance of a protection order on the evidence-related files in the October docket. Federal public defenders appointed to the case added Attorney Bachrach of New York to the team because he already had the necessary security clearance to work through the materials.

Teixeira will also face a military court martial for his actions, but a date has not yet been set.

Originally published: October 25, 2024 at 5:01 p.m