The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Friday charged Jack Douglas Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, over leaked classified US intelligence documents. The leaked documents came to national attention this past week, which resulted in the FBI arresting Teixeira on Thursday.

Teixeira is charged with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information as well as unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material. Teixeira allegedly leaked”dozens of images” of documents, containing confidential information about US national security issues, on an online server known as Discord. The DOJ did not discover the leaked documents until April 10, however, it is believed that the documents first appeared online in January. 

US Attorney General Marrick Garland stated that Teixeira was arrested Thursday “in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defense information.” On Friday, Teixeira appeared in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. He did not enter a plea, pending another hearing on Wednesday. Teixeira remains in government custody until then. 

The FBI expressed that it is “continuing to conduct authorized law enforcement activity” at the Massachusetts residence of Teixeira, where he was taken into custody by the FBI.

The Pentagon has started limiting access to classified intelligence. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that he is “directing the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to conduct a review of our intelligence access, accountability and control procedures” within the US Department of Defense (DOD). Furthermore, Patrick Ryder, a spokesman of the Pentagon, called this “a deliberate criminal act” and “a violation” of guidelines that safeguard intelligence documents.