WORCESTER, Mass. (WPRI) — The Dighton man suspected of leaking highly classified military documents appeared in federal court Thursday afternoon.
Jack Teixeira, 21, is charged with unauthorized transmission of defense materials and unauthorized retention and removal of classified documents.
A judge is now deliberating if the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman will remain behind bars while awaiting trial after his detention hearing was postponed last week. Court adjourned for the day.
In court documents released late Wednesday, prosecutors said releasing Teixeira would be a “grave threat to the U.S. national security” and his “troubling history raises serious concerns about what he would do if released into the community.”
Investigators said they are still trying to figure out whether he still has any physical or digital copies of classified documents, including files that have not been publicly released.
Photos released of Teixeira’s bedrooms at both his mother’s and father’s homes show an arsenal of weapons found by investigators.
“Although the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms seized a number of weapons from the Defendant’s primary residence, his father’s weapons were not seized. And it is his father’s home to which the Defendant is asking to be released,” the court documents read.
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The court documents also revealed Teixeira made comments about weapons in 2018 while he was a sophomore at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, which got him suspended.
Additionally, investigators said he used his government computer last summer to search for recent mass shootings.
Prosecutors said that when the leak of the documents began to surface, Teixeira took steps to destroy the evidence. He allegedly told others online to “delete all messages” and “if anyone comes looking don’t tell them [expletive].”
Authorities who searched a dumpster at his home said they found a smashed tablet, laptop and Xbox gaming console.
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All of this comes after the U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday the suspension of two commanders in the 102nd Intelligence Wing — the unit Teixeira served in.
Teixeira was granted top secret security clearance in 2021. The FBI said in order to receive that, he would’ve had to have signed a non-disclosure agreement that spells out that the unauthorized sharing of protected information could result in criminal charges.
His most recent job title was cyber defense operations journeyman.
