Jack Teixeira, accused Pentagon leaker, remains in custody as judge weighs bail
WORCESTER – A judge is considering whether to release Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents, from jail while he awaits his federal trial.
The 21-year-old from Dighton joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in September 2019, according to federal court filings. He was granted Top Secret security clearance in 2021, according to an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent
Family members sat in the front row of a Worcester federal courtroom on Thursday. His mother burst into tears when he walked into court wearing an orange jumpsuit and black rosary beads.
As the hearing got underway, Teixeira's father took the stand asking to be a third-party custodian if his son is released on bail.
Teixeira's attorney argued that there is no evidence he intended to widely share top secret information beyond his private chat group.
"Your argument is, he had no idea it might go beyond this little circle of people on the server?" the judge replied.
Federal prosecutors argued that Teixeira should not be allowed to go home while he awaits his trial.
"He ignores the rules … he likes being the gatekeeper of information … what he didn't like, was adhering to the rules," the prosecutor said.
An argument outlined in documents that include pictures of Teixeira's bedroom full of military equipment and a shooting target. The documents say a locked safe next to his bed contained several guns.
Documents also show messages he sent to his chat group saying he wanted to kill people, "culling the weak-minded."
Outside court there was a lone protester. "He's just a kid, a young person who wanted to share, wanted to impress his friends," the man said.
Teixeira's defense attorney pointed to his dramatic arrest to show he is not a flight risk, saying he knew authorities were after him and he did not run away.
Prosecutors argued that foreign adversaries might want Teixeira's information and offer to harbor him and therefore he is a flight risk.
The judge did not rule and instead took arguments from both sides under advisement.