An Air Force intelligence analyst who pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography last year was also accused of sharing classified material with adherents of the anti-government “Boogaloo” movement, according to a court filing that was unsealed this week.
Jason Gray, 28, used the online chat platform Discord, where he was active in channels “in support of the Boogaloo Movement” and “dissatisfaction with the United States government,” to share at least one seemingly classified image with seven individuals, Air Force investigators determined in September of 2022.
“Based on Gray utilizing Discord to communicate with other Boogaloo members, there is potential the image shared was in furtherance of the Boogaloo ideology,” an FBI affidavit in support of warrant to search the airman’s Discord account states.
The affidavit describes the “Boogaloo movement” as a “loosely organized anti-government/anti-authority movement” whose supporters claim to be “planning for, or seek to incite, a second American Civil War or second American Revolution which they call the ‘Boogaloo.’”
The image Gray allegedly shared with his “Boogaloo” buddies “appeared to be classified” and was “likely obtained” through the airman’s access to sensitive National Security Agency intelligence as part of his duties with the 301st Intelligence Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, according to the unsealed document.
Gray told investigators he was “upset and disgruntled” about his transfer to the Alaska base and admitted to starting a Facebook group for “Boogaloo” followers under the name “CNN Journalist Support Group,” according to the affidavit.
“Gray created the group due in part to his dissatisfaction with the government,” the document states.
Gray was never charged with disseminating US secrets, court documents show.
As part of the investigation, authorities uncovered a trove of child pornography stashed on his personal devices.
Gray pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child porn and was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and 25 years supervised release last November.
His case is reminiscent of former Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who agreed to plead guilty last month to leaking troves of classified military documents, some detailing intelligence assessments of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on Discord.
Teixeira’s case is considered one of the most serious US national security breaches in recent history.
He agreed to accept a 16-year prison sentence as part of his plea deal.
