The U.S. Department of Justice has outlined charging documents regarding an indictment alleging classified national defense information retaining and transmitting through a social media platform.
Jack Douglas Teixeira, 21, of North Dighton, Mass., a member of the U.S. Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts, was indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information). Teixeira allegedly retained and transmitted classified national defense information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continued until his arrest in April.
Charging documents showed Teixeira enlisted in the USANG in September 2019 and has held a Top Secret security clearance since 2021, with authorities alleging that, beginning in or around January 2022, Teixeira willfully, improperly, and unlawfully retained and transmitted National Defense Information classified as “TOP SECRET” or “SECRET” and / or Sensitive Compartmented Information, which he allegedly had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, on a social media platform to persons not authorized to receive such information.
“As laid out in the indictment, Jack Teixeira was entrusted by the United States government with access to classified national defense information — including information that reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if shared,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “Teixeira is charged with sharing information with users on a social media platform he knew were not entitled to receive it. In doing so, he is alleged to have violated U.S. law and endangered our national security.”