Leak Defendant to Change Plea

UPDATE Feb 29, 2024 5:20 PM CST

The military computer technician charged with leaking highly classified government intelligence will change his plea to guilty on Monday. Federal prosecutors asked a judge in Boston for a hearing to facilitate the change by Jack Teixeira in a filing Thursday, the Washington Post reports. Prosecutors and a lawyer for Teixeira didn't immediately comment, per the AP. He remains in custody.

Jun 21, 2023 4:47 PM CDT

The 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard accused of posting military secrets on social media pleaded not guilty on Wednesday. Jack Teixeira was indicted by a grand jury last week on six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information, NBC News reports. He was arrested in April and has been in custody since mid-May, when a judge agreed the defendant was a flight risk. Conviction on all six federal counts could bring a prison sentence of up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.5 million.

A smiling Teixeira, with rosary beads draped around his neck, waved to his family when he entered the Worcester courtroom on Wednesday afternoon. He responded "not guilty, your honor" to each count. "We remain as committed as ever and our entire family continues to share complete and unwavering support of Jack as he faces this matter," said a family spokesperson, per CNN. Teixeira's attorneys asked the judge to reconsider his release during the hearing, saying the government doesn't accuse him of intending that the highly classified material be widely disseminated, per the AP. The judge denied the request. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 9. (More Jack Teixeira stories.)