Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira to plead guilty: Sources

Teixeira was a Massachusetts Air National Guard member.

ByAaron Katersky
February 29, 2024, 4:52 PM

Jack Teixeira, the young Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking a trove of classified military documents and posting them online, has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty, according to a new court filing and sources familiar with the case.

On Thursday, federal prosecutors in Boston filed a motion for a Rule 11 hearing on Monday, which signals Teixeira will plead guilty and the judge will determine whether the plea is truly voluntary.

To what charge or charges Teixeira will plead was not immediately clear. The plea agreement has not been publicly filed.

Teixeira, who was 21 years old when he was arrested, pleaded not guilty in June 2023 to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information.

Teixeira is accused of abusing his security clearance and posting classified documents on social media sites, such as Discord, according to the Department of Justice. Teixeira allegedly revealed the kinds of military equipment the United States was prepared to give to Ukraine, "how the equipment would be transferred, and how the equipment would be used upon receipt," according to the indictment.

PHOTO: This photo illustration created on April 13, 2023, shows Jack Teixeira, reflected in an image of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
This photo illustration created on April 13, 2023, shows Jack Teixeira, reflected in an image of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images, FILE

Teixeira enlisted in the Air National Guard in 2019, according to his service record, and had top secret security clearance since 2021, according to the Department of Justice.

He allegedly began posting classified documents online in January 2022, according to the Justice Department.

In December, 15 airmen were disciplined -- including with removal of their command -- for failing to take proper action when they became aware of Teixeira's intelligence-seeking activities, according to a broad Air Force investigation.

The internal investigation places blame on Teixeira for the unauthorized disclosure of classified information, but it found that members of his unit failed to take necessary steps such as adequately inspecting areas under their command and giving inconsistent guidance for reporting security incidents.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.