John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. Photo: WBZ NewsRadio Staff
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira briefly appeared in federal court on Wednesday. Texiera waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
This after a federal judge pushed off his detention hearing for two weeks because his defense team needed more time to prepare its case.
The 21-year-old airman is accused of sharing dozens of sensitive intelligence documents with an online chat group. Teixeira is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals. He was arrested in North Dighton last week.
Prosecutors in the case have said Teixeira had "Top Secret" security clearance beginning in 2021, but was effectively an IT person. He's facing two espionage charges that could land him in prison for a combined 15 years, if convicted on both.
In the original complaint, an FBI agent said the agency used social media billing records and an informant to find Teixiera.
The hearing comes as the Air Force announced it would suspend the "intelligence mission" of Otis Air National Guard Base where Teixiera worked, according to ABC News. Military officials have opened their own investigation into the base as well.
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