WORCESTER, May 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday ordered the Air National Guardsman accused of leaking military secrets to remain in jail as he awaits trial on charges he violated the Espionage Act.
Magistrate Judge David Hennessy made the decision after lawyers for Jack Douglas Teixeira, 21, asked for him to be released to house arrest pending trial.
Teixeira leaked classified documents to a group of gamers on the messaging app Discord, according to prosecutors.
While a low-level airman, Teixeira had broad access to military secrets at the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 102nd Intelligence Wing, according to U.S. Justice Department lawyers.
“I have stuff for Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iran and China,” Teixeira said on social media, according to prosecutors.