Former US Navy Sailor Receives Lengthy Prison Term for Espionage
A former United States Navy sailor faces more than sixteen years behind bars for selling sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer. Federal authorities announced the sentencing of Jinchao Wei, who also went by the name Patrick Wei, to two hundred months in prison.
Conviction and Arrest Details
A federal jury convicted the twenty-five-year-old Wei in August 2025 after a five-day trial and just one day of deliberation. Law enforcement arrested him in August 2023 as he arrived for work aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex at Naval Base San Diego.
The Justice Department stated Wei received over twelve thousand dollars for transmitting national defense information. Evidence presented during the trial revealed he sent photographs, videos, and thousands of pages containing technical and operational manuals about US Navy ships to a Chinese intelligence officer.
Sensitive Information Shared
This transmission occurred between March 2022 and August 2023. The materials included detailed information about:
- Weapons systems
- Ship propulsion mechanisms
- Steering operations
- Aircraft and deck elevators
- Desalination systems
- Damage-control procedures
Many of the manuals contained clear export-control warnings, indicating their restricted nature.
Official Statements on the Case
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made strong remarks about the case. "Members of the United States military swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States," he stated.
Blanche continued, "This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and compromised the national security of the United States. The Justice Department will not tolerate this behavior. We stand ready to investigate, defend, and protect the interests of the American people."
Security Clearance and Ship Significance
Wei held a United States security clearance that granted him access to sensitive national defense information. Amphibious assault ships like the USS Essex enable the Navy to project power and maintain expeditionary presence worldwide.
This capability makes the data he shared particularly valuable and damaging to national security interests.
Recruitment and Suspicious Activity
Evidence showed Chinese intelligence recruited Wei on February 14, 2022. The officer initially posed as a naval enthusiast working for the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
Wei suspected the true nature of this contact. He even warned a Navy friend that he was "on the radar of a China intelligence organisation" and that the person's requests seemed too obvious.
Continued Communications and Concealment
Despite these suspicions, Wei continued communications using encrypted messaging applications. He began sharing sensitive information through these channels.
Wei employed secret digital methods to conceal his activities. These included digital "dead drops" that disappeared within seventy-two hours. His handler provided new computers and phones for these exchanges.
The former sailor even created handwritten receipts to document payments for the stolen information.
Post-Arrest Admissions
During a post-arrest interview, Wei admitted, "I'm screwed." He later stated, "That I'm sharing the unclassified document to—I mean document with, uhm, him . . . I'm not supposed to do that."
Trial Outcome and FBI Response
The trial resulted in convictions on six counts against Wei. These included:
- Conspiracy to commit espionage
- Espionage
- Unlawful export of technical defense data
The jury found him not guilty on one count of naturalization fraud.
FBI Special Agent Mark Dargis responded to the case. "The FBI will aggressively defend our homeland from anyone threatening our national security, including those on the inside betraying their sworn duty to the United States," he declared.
