Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira, 22, is sentenced to 16 YEARS in prison after pleading guilty to releasing trove of secret military documents about Russia's war in Ukraine on Discord

Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira has pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about Russia's war in Ukraine and other national security secrets on Discord.

The 22-year-old admitted all six counts relating to willful retention and transmission of national defense information in the most consequential security leak in years - and accepted a 16-year jail term as part of a plea deal Monday. 

In return, Boston prosecutors agreed not to charge him with further counts under the Espionage Act. 

Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, has been behind bars since his April arrest. 

His case raised alarm over America's ability to protect its most closely guarded secrets and forced the Biden administration to scramble to try to contain diplomatic and military fallout.

Jack Teixeira previously pleaded not guilty to the charges surrounding his alleged posting of classified documents on the social media platform Discord, but prosecutors have now asked the federal judge to schedule a change of plea hearing for Monday. 

FBI agents arrest Teixeira, an employee of the U.S. Air Force National Guard, in connection with an investigation into the leaks online of classified U.S. documents, outside a residence in this still image taken from video in North Dighton, Massachusetts, on April 13, 2023

Jack Douglas Teixeira is seen in this image from his 2020 High School yearbook. Teixeira graduated from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in Massachusetts

The leak led the Pentagon to tighten controls to safeguard classified information, and the Air Force disciplined 15 personnel as its inspector general found last year that multiple officials intentionally failed to take required action about Teixeira's suspicious behavior.

Under the terms of his plea deal, Teixeira must also attend a debrief with the Defense Department and the Justice Department, and return any sensitive materials he still possesses. 

Teixeira, who was 21 at the time of his arrest, previously pleaded not guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act.

Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

A judge last year ordered Teixeira to remain behind bars while he awaits trial after prosecutors revealed he had a history of violent rhetoric and warned that U.S. adversaries who might be interested in mining Teixeira for information could help him escape.

Before he pleaded guilty, Teixeira remained in the Air National Guard in an unpaid status, the Air Force said.

Teixeira was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts when authorities say he illegally collected military secrets and shared them with other users on Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games. 

Investigators say Teixeira was in charge of a group on the platform called Thug Shaker Central, in which weapons and wars were discussed.

Teixeira, 22, was indicted on six counts of willful retention of national defense information and the subsequent leaking of it

The US Department of Justice released photo evidence collected during the investigation into US Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents online

Jack Michael Teixeira, center, father of Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, departs federal court, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Boston

Teixeira joined the Air National Guard in 2019 and began last January to share military secrets with his Discord pals.

Chats between the 22-year-old and members of the Discord group indicate that his actions may have been motivated more by bravado than any specific ideology. 

Prosecutors have urged the judge to keep the defendant locked up as the case plays  out for reasons including a large arsenal of weapons found at his house and a history of disturbing online statements.

Investigators say Teixeira was in charge of a group on the platform called Thug Shaker Central, in which weapons and wars were discussed

In one social media post, he wrote that if he could, he would kill a 'ton of people' because it would be 'culling the weak minded.'

Judge Indira Talwani denied him bail after determining that 'No set of release conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community, or prevent destruction of evidence.'

Teixeira worked as a 'cyber transport systems specialist,' essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks.

Authorities said he first typed out classified documents he accessed and then began sharing photographs of files that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings. 

Teixeira's crimes were uncovered on April 6 last year - the same day the New York Times ran a story about the leaked documents.

The leak exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia's war in Ukraine, the capabilities and geopolitical interests of other nations and other national security issues.

Allies then had to be reassured that their secrets were being well safeguarded by the US government. 

Prosecutors have said little about an alleged motive. But members of the Discord group described Teixeira as someone looking to show off, rather than being motivated by a desire to inform the public about U.S. military operations or to influence American policy.

Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, seated second from right, is accused of leaking highly classified military documents on a social media platform

Prosecutors have said little about an alleged motive. But members of the Discord group described Teixeira as someone looking to show off, rather than being motivated by a desire to inform the public about U.S. military operations or to influence American policy

Prosecutors have said Teixeira continued to leak government secrets even after he was warned by superiors about mishandling and improper viewing of classified information for which he did not have permission to view.

In one instance, Teixeira was seen taking notes on intelligence information and putting them in his pocket.

Even after the warning, he was again flagged for looking through information not directly related to the intelligence field.

Authorities have not provided much insight into possible motives for Teixeira's behavior.

The Air Force inspector general found that members 'intentionally failed to report the full details' of Teixeira's unauthorized intelligence-seeking because they thought security officials might overreact. 

For example, while Teixeira was confronted about the note, there was no follow up to ensure the note had been shredded and the incident was not reported to security officers.

It was not until a January 2023 incident that the appropriate security officials were notified, but even then security officials were not briefed on the full scope of the violations.