BOSTON — A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking highly classified military documents related to the war in Ukraine.

Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty earlier this year to six charges of knowingly retaining and transmitting national defense information under the Espionage Act following his arrest in the most significant national security case in years. He was brought to court wearing an orange jumpsuit and showed no visible reaction as he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani.

He apologized in front of the judge at the beginning of the hearing.

Prosecutors had initially sought a 17-year prison sentence, saying Teixeira “committed one of the most significant and consequential violations of the Espionage Act in American history.”

Defense lawyers asked for an 11-year prison sentence. In their sentencing memorandum, they acknowledged that their client “made a terrible decision that he repeated for 14 months,” but argued that Teixeira’s actions, while criminal, were never intended to “harm the United States.” He also had no previous criminal record.

The security breach raised alarm about America’s ability to protect its most closely guarded secrets and forced the Biden administration to scramble to contain the diplomatic and military fallout.

This is a breaking news update; check back for details.

Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who prosecutors say “committed one of the most significant and significant violations of the Espionage Act in American history.” is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday in Boston federal court.

HE pleaded guilty Six charges related to intentional retention and transmission of national defense information in March.

Prosecutors asked the judge to impose a maximum prison sentence of 200 months, or more than 16 years.

“The harm caused to national security by the defendant’s disclosure of national defense information is extraordinary,” prosecutors wrote in a memorandum filed before the sentencing hearing. he said. “Teixeira caused extraordinarily grave damage to the national security of the United States by publishing intelligence products on the social media platform Discord to feed his own ego and influence unnamed friends. The extent of his treachery is breathtaking.”

The defense asked for the minimum sentence, citing Teixeira’s autism and ADHD. They also argued that he did not intend to harm the country, but only to educate his online friends about world events.

Defense attorneys Michael Bachrach and Brandan Kelley said, “Jack is essentially still a child, at least a ‘juvenile offender,’ and his whole life is ahead of him.” stated in a memorandum It was presented to the judge before sentencing. “At 22 years old, a 132-month sentence will provide more than enough time for him to grow and mature, both for his conduct and his sentence.”

“With the support of his family and mental health treatment providers, Jack will have little trouble living a productive life in prison and when he is eventually released,” the memorandum continued.

Teixeira is also currently negotiating an arrangement for parallel but related military prosecution, the declaration said.

According to the signed plea agreement filed with the court, Teixeira agreed to plead guilty to all six charges accusing him of knowingly withholding and transmitting national defense information. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to charge him with additional charges under the Espionage Act.

During the impeachment hearing, a prosecutor said Teixeira “accessed and printed hundreds of confidential documents” and posted images of them on Discord before his arrest in April 2023.

As part of the plea agreement, Teixeira is required to meet with the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice and return any sensitive material he may retain.

Federal prosecutors made clear that Teixeira had no business looking at classified information because his low-level job did not require it.

“The defendant’s job was to troubleshoot problems with computer workstations,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey said at the March hearing.

Casey nevertheless said Teixeira accessed “hundreds” of confidential documents at the secure facility where he worked and “intentionally removed classified documents and information despite warnings from his superiors to stop.”

Teixeira admitted in court that he knew the documents were marked confidential.

Without specifying specifics, federal prosecutors said Teixeira disclosed information that certain accounts belonging to a U.S. company had been compromised by a foreign adversary and about equipment the U.S. had sent to Ukraine, how it would be transferred and how it would be used once received. Prosecutors also said he published material about troop movements in Ukraine, a plot by a foreign enemy to attack U.S. forces abroad and Western deliveries of supplies to the Ukrainian battlefield.

Teixeira enlisted in the Air National Guard in 2019, according to his service record, and had a top-secret security clearance starting in 2021, according to the Justice Department.

The Justice Department said it began publishing classified documents online in January 2022.

Teixeira will also face a problem court martial According to the U.S. Air Force, for allegedly violating the Uniform Rules of Military Justice.

The U.S. military reserves the right to individually sue a service member who has already been convicted in federal court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.