The Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged that Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old Air National Guard member, was warned multiple times about his handling of classified information. The accused leaker's defense lawyers argued for him to be released to his father's custody, claiming he doesn't pose a flight risk and never intended for the leaked documents to become widely available.
Teixeira was arrested in April after allegedly sharing records on the war in Ukraine and other classified information with a private Discord server called Thug Shaker Central. Prosecutors have charged him with unauthorized transmission and retention of defense materials after dozens of classified files appeared in the online chat room.
On one occasion, Teixeira was seen pocketing notes from a classified intelligence briefing; superiors asked him to stop taking any form of notes on such information. A month later, he attended another classified briefing where he posed "very specific questions," raising suspicions that he had ignored previous cease-and-desist orders regarding accessing sensitive intelligence.
Prosecutors claim that Teixeira "simply did not care" what his superiors or government officials told him and would likely ignore court instructions as well. A judge will soon decide whether to keep Teixeira detained until his trial date.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday when a federal judge will determine if Teixeira should remain in custody while awaiting trial. His lawyers submitted documents Wednesday providing eight examples of defendants involved in Espionage Act cases who received pretrial release approvals by courts.
John Smithson, DOJ spokesperson stated: "Mr.TeixEira showed a willful disregard for protecting confidential materials essential to our national security."