Pentagon spokesman Jack Teixeira sentenced to 15 years in prison | Al Jazeera News

Prosecutors are seeking up to 17 years in prison for the 'serious' breach of the Espionage Act.

Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, was sentenced to 15 years for leaking classified documents about the war in Ukraine and other military secrets.

A federal judge in Boston, United States, on Tuesday sentenced the 22-year-old after pleading guilty to six counts of knowingly concealing and passing on information to the defense under the Espionage Act.

Prosecutors had contested Teixeira's 17-year sentence, saying he “committed the most significant and consequential violation of the Espionage Act in American history”.

“The defendant took an oath to protect the United States and protect its secrets — secrets that are vital to America's national security and the physical safety of Americans working abroad,” prosecutors wrote. Teixeira broke his oath, almost every day, for more than a year.

The breach raised questions about the US's ability to protect secrets

Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, located on Cape Cod.

He worked as a cyber-transport systems specialist – an information technology specialist responsible for military communications networks.

Authorities said he shared classified documents on the Discord messaging system.

Teixeira began by writing copies that he published online.

Later, he captured the files, some of which were marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET”.

The documents included information about allies and adversaries including military movements in Ukraine and top secret information about Israel's Mossad spy agency. Teixeira also admitted that he sent information about plans by the American enemy to harm US soldiers serving overseas.

The breach raised questions about the US's ability to protect its secrets and embarrassed President Joe Biden's administration, which is trying to contain the political and military outbreak.

Teixeira's lawyers asked for a minimum sentence of 11 years, saying their client had no political agenda and was not working as a spy for a foreign government. In their sentencing document, they admitted that their client had “made a bad decision which he repeated in 14 months”.

“Instead, his goal was to educate his friends about world events to ensure they were not misled by misinformation,” the attorneys wrote.

“For Jack, the war in Ukraine was his generation's World War II or Iraq, and he needed someone to share the experience with.”

They noted that Teixeira had no prior criminal convictions.

But prosecutors argued that Teixeira did not suffer from any mental disability that would prevent him from knowing right from wrong, adding that his post-arrest diagnosis of “mild, high-functioning” autism was “questionably relevant” to the case.

I wanted to say, 'I'm sorry'

Teixeira apologized in court for his actions before he was sentenced by US District Judge Indira Talwani.

“I wanted to say, 'I'm sorry for all the damage I've brought and caused',” said Texeira talking about the “maelstrom” he caused his family and friends.

“I understand all the responsibility and consequences fall on my shoulders only and I accept whatever it brings,” he said. Teixeira kissed one of his lawyers and looked at his family and smiled before being led out of court.

He cannot be charged with violating the Espionage Act under the terms of his plea.