Jack Teixeira, a former Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified military information, was formally charged by a federal grand jury on Thursday.

The 21-year-old now faces six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense secrets in Massachusetts. Teixeira’s arrest took place in April, and the Justice Department confirmed the indictment.

Teixeira came under suspicion as the potential source of leaked Pentagon information when a significant amount of classified documents surfaced in an exclusive Discord group, a social media platform commonly used by gamers.

Subsequently, these documents were shared more widely, the New York Post reported.

Earlier this year, Teixeira pleaded not guilty to charges outlined in a criminal complaint. However, following the recent unsealing of the indictment against him, he has yet to be arraigned.

In a previous ruling, a federal judge ordered Teixeira to remain in custody until his trial, citing concerns that he might attempt to flee the country or obstruct justice if released.

Written by staff