By Jerald Jimenez
May 2, 2024, 1:33 PM EDT
Massachusetts Area National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who pleaded guilty to leaking Pentagon information, has been additionally charged with alleged violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The new charges were filed by the Air Force, in coordination with the Department of Justice, which decided to bring separate indictments against Teixeira in connection with alleged acts of misconduct in his military duties, such as failure to comply with a lawful order and obstruction of justice. .
Teixeira disobeyed an order to “cease and desist from accessing information that does not pertain to his duties” at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, between September 2022 and April 2023. Instead, he continued to access information that does not pertain to his duties. related to his duties, according to documents provided by an Air Force spokesperson.
Likewise, Teixeira was accused of disposing of an iPad, a computer hard drive and a cell phone with the intent to obstruct the administration of justice in his case. He also allegedly ordered another person to delete Discord messages he sent with the intent to obstruct.
The charges are expected to be sent to a hearing under Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, where a neutral officer will examine whether the evidence is sufficient to refer the charges to a military court.
The hearing is scheduled for May 14 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts.
Teixeira was charged in 2023 with six counts of intentional retention and transmission of classified information related to national defense, to which he pleaded guilty and accepted a 16-year prison sentence in March. However, in exchange, prosecutors agreed not to charge him with additional charges under the Espionage Act. His sentencing is set for September 27.
Federal prosecutors added that Teixeira “accessed and printed hundreds of classified documents” and posted images of them on Discord before his arrest in April 2023.
With information from ABC News