Suspect charged in case involving leaked classified military documents

Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guard member suspected of leaking a trove of classified military intelligence, was charged by the federal government Friday with retention and transmission of national defense information and willful retention of classified documents.

The two criminal charges, relayed during an appearance in federal court here Friday morning, carry a maximum of 15 years in prison. Teixeira, 21, did not enter a plea and is detained pending a hearing Wednesday. The government is seeking continued detention.

Teixeira was arrested Thursday afternoon at a family residence in Dighton, Mass., after a fast-moving investigation related to leaks of military intelligence that started with a small online group and eventually led to hundreds of government secrets spilling out to the wider world.

As a result, dozens of highly classified documents have been leaked, revealing sensitive information intended for senior military and intelligence leaders on subjects including U.S. spying on allies and exposing the grim prospects for Ukraine’s war with Russia.

In a statement Friday, President Biden said his administration is “still trying to determine the validity” of the documents but said he had directed the military and intelligence communities “to take steps to further secure and limit distribution of sensitive information.”