An Air National Guard member has admitted guilt in a significant intelligence breach by sharing numerous classified documents online, marking one of the most notable intelligence leaks in recent memory.
Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of up to 16 years and eight months in prison for 22-year-old Jack Teixeira, who posted the documents on Discord, a platform favored by gamers, while stationed at an Air National Guard base.
The leaked material comprised maps, satellite images, and intelligence pertaining to US allies.
Teixeira entered a guilty plea to six counts of wilful retention and transmission of national defense information in a US federal court in Boston on Monday. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. However, as part of a plea agreement, prosecutors have proposed a term of 200 months in prison, a sentence Teixeira has agreed not to contest. Additionally, he will face a fine of $50,000 (£39,000).
