Jack Douglas Teixeira was arrested by the FBI on April 13 at his
home in Massachusetts and charged with violating the Espionage
Act. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in
Worcester, Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon for his detention
hearing.
Prosecutors say the 21-year-old leaked classified documents,
including some relating to troop movements in the Russia-Ukraine
conflict, to a group of gamers on the messaging app Discord.
Teixeira, who lived with his mom and stepfather, kept a gun
locker two feet from his bed, which contained handguns,
bolt-action rifles and a military-style rifle with a
high-capacity magazine.
FBI agents also found a gas mask, ammunition and what appeared
to be a "silencer-style accessory in his desk drawer," according
to a motion arguing that Teixeira should remain in custody
before his trial.
"The defendant undoubtedly poses a danger to the U.S. at large
based on his ability to cause exceptionally grave danger to the
U.S. national security," according to a motion filed by the
office of U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins. "However, there is also
evidence to suggest that the Defendant may also pose a physical
danger to the community."
In 2018, while in high school, Teixeira was suspended after he
was overheard making racial threats and remarks about guns.
Teixeira attributed those remarks to a reference in a video
game, according to prosecutors.
More recently, in November 2022, Teixeira said if he had his
way, he would “kill a [expletive] ton of people” because it
would be “culling the weak minded,” prosecutors alleged in
documents supporting their motion to detain Teixeira.
(Reporting By Tim McLaughlin; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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