A former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of selling technical and operating manuals for ships and operating systems to an intelligence officer working for China was sentenced Monday to more than 16 years in prison, prosecutors said.
A federal judge in San Diego sentenced Jinchao Wei, 25, to 200 months. A federal jury convicted Wei in August of six crimes, including espionage. He was paid more than $12,000 for the information he sold, the U.S. Department of Justice stated.
Wei, an engineer for the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, was one of two California-based sailors charged on Aug. 3, 2023, with providing sensitive military information to China. The other, Wenheng Zhao, was sentenced to more than two years in 2024 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and receiving a bribe.
U.S. officials have long expressed concerns regarding the espionage threat from the Chinese government, which has included criminal cases against intelligence operatives who have stolen sensitive information.
Wei was approached via social media in 2022 by a supposed naval enthusiast who was actually an intelligence officer for China. Although he initially suspected something was amiss, he continued communicating, using a more secure messaging app. Over 18 months, Wei shared details about Navy ship locations and even sold 60 manuals revealing sensitive operational procedures.
In a post-conviction letter, Wei expressed remorse, attributing his actions to feelings of loneliness and poor judgment.
A federal judge in San Diego sentenced Jinchao Wei, 25, to 200 months. A federal jury convicted Wei in August of six crimes, including espionage. He was paid more than $12,000 for the information he sold, the U.S. Department of Justice stated.
Wei, an engineer for the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, was one of two California-based sailors charged on Aug. 3, 2023, with providing sensitive military information to China. The other, Wenheng Zhao, was sentenced to more than two years in 2024 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and receiving a bribe.
U.S. officials have long expressed concerns regarding the espionage threat from the Chinese government, which has included criminal cases against intelligence operatives who have stolen sensitive information.
Wei was approached via social media in 2022 by a supposed naval enthusiast who was actually an intelligence officer for China. Although he initially suspected something was amiss, he continued communicating, using a more secure messaging app. Over 18 months, Wei shared details about Navy ship locations and even sold 60 manuals revealing sensitive operational procedures.
In a post-conviction letter, Wei expressed remorse, attributing his actions to feelings of loneliness and poor judgment.
