A Navy sailor faces life in jail for espionage after a San Diego, Calif., jury discovered him responsible Wednesday of promoting secrets and techniques to China.
Jinchao Wei, 25, a sailor stationed at Naval Base San Diego, stood trial for seven fees, together with espionage and conspiracy to commit espionage. The jury convicted him on six of the seven fees Wednesday, following a weeklong trial that started Aug. 13, in accordance with charging paperwork. Each espionage and conspiracy to commit espionage carry life sentences, in addition to a $250,000 positive.
Along with espionage and conspiracy to commit it, the jury convicted Wei of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Management Act and three counts of violating the Arms Export Management Act. The jury acquitted him of naturalization fraud, in accordance with on-line courtroom paperwork.
The conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Management Act and every depend of violating the act carries a penalty of as much as 20 years in jail, in addition to $1 million positive.
Previous to his arrest in August 2023, Wei was a machinist’s mate third class on USS Essex (LHD-2), the place he was assigned since March 4, 2022. He joined the Navy on July 28, 2021, USNI Information beforehand reported.
A federal grand jury indicted Wei on fees of speaking with a Chinese language intelligence officer and offering him with info on amphibious ships like Essex.
As a machinist’s mate third class, Wei had a safety clearance that allowed him entry to details about the Essex’s weapons, propulsion and desalination techniques, in accordance with a Division of Justice launch. A Chinese language intelligence officer reached out to Wei on Feb. 14, 2022, posing as a naval fanatic working for the China Shipbuilding Trade Company, a state-run yard.
The U.S. lawyer’s workplace offered proof in the course of the trial that Wei suspected the Chinese language intelligence officer of being greater than a naval fanatic, even within the early days of communication, reads the discharge. He informed a buddy eight days after the officer started speaking to him that he believed he was on Chinese language intelligence’s radar.
“Wei informed his buddy that he’s ‘no fool’ and that ‘that is fairly clearly fucking espionage,’” reads the discharge.
Wei then started spying for the officer, together with sending photos and movies of Essex and described issues plaguing ships on the San Diego naval base. This additionally included pages of technical and operational details about naval ships. In change, the officer paid Wei $12,000 over a yr and a half.
After his arrest, Wei admitted to giving the intelligence officer the data, calling his actions “espionage,” in accordance with the discharge.
“The defendant’s actions characterize an egregious betrayal of the belief positioned in him as a member of the U.S. army,” U.S. Legal professional Adam Gordon stated within the launch. “By buying and selling army secrets and techniques to the Individuals’s Republic of China for money, he jeopardized not solely the lives of his fellow sailors but additionally the safety of the complete nation and our allies. The jury’s verdict serves as an important reminder that the Division of Justice will vigorously prosecute traitors.”
Building Electrician 2nd Class Wenheng Zhao, of California, was additionally arrested across the identical time as Wei and charged with taking a bribe from a Chinese language official, USNI Information beforehand reported.
He pleaded responsible in January 2024 to a depend of conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud the US and a depend of receiving a bribe by a public official. A decide sentenced him to 27 months for every depend, to be served concurrently, in accordance with on-line courtroom paperwork.
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