US Navy sailor sentenced for spying for China

SAN DIEGO (CN) — A U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced to prison Monday for providing secret information about military vessels and weapons to China.

U.S. District Judge Marilyn Huff sentenced Jinchao Wei, originally from China, to 16 and a half years in prison in front of a packed courtroom in downtown San Diego, where he was stationed.

Wei, now 25 years old, was convicted of espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage and violating the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations last year following a five-day jury trial.

Prosecutors say he was paid about $13,000 for sending thousands of pages of sensitive technical information, photographs, videos and other intelligence over the course of 18 months to a Chinese intelligence officer known as “Andy,” who contacted Wei via social media and introduced himself as a naval enthusiast working in China. Wei, a petty officer and a machinist’s mate, had access to sensitive information about the operation and maintenance of Navy ships as well as access to restricted parts of the ship he was assigned to, the government said in the indictment.

“I don’t use this word lightly, but the defendant is a traitor,” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parmley told a crowded courtroom. “He betrayed the United States of America.”

Parmley characterized Wei’s actions as disloyal to the country that granted him citizenship and asked the court to sentence Wei to 22 years in prison.

Wei, appearing in a green corrections uniform, asked the court for mercy.

“I want to begin by taking full responsibility for my actions,” Wei said, with his mother in the courtroom. “I did something seriously wrong. There’s no arguing that. It’s something I deeply regret every day. I apologize to the United States government, the federal agents, the court, and my shipmates for the destruction, harm and shame my actions caused. At the time of this offense, I was young and immature. I failed to understand the consequences of my action. For the last two years, I have had to live with those consequences."

Wei was assigned to the USS Essex, an amphibious assault ship based in San Diego. In addition to the documents he provided to the Chinese intelligence, he also sent detailed information about the crew quarters of the ship he was on and upcoming international maritime exercises, prosecutors say.

Wei knew what he was doing was espionage but continued to engage with Andy anyway, the government argued. Additionally, he tried to cover his tracks by deleting his messages and using encrypted messaging platforms.

Wei’s attorneys accepted the government’s characterization of Wei’s actions as irresponsible but argued the information he provided to the Chinese intelligence officer was not that important and that his role was less consequential than the government portrayed it. They argued this was evident by the fact the government did not immediately intervene when they learned of Wei’s actions but, instead, chose to surveil him for a year.

“No one on this side of the aisle is arguing this is meaningless or excusable,” attorney Sean Jones, of Jones Trial Attorneys, argued to the court. “But had this been a matter of clear and present danger, those actions could have been taken.”

Jones portrayed Wei as a bright, promising young man who wanted to fit in and who wanted to earn money but was misguided.

“This is a young man that loves America,” Jones told the court. “This is his country. Through the course of trial, millions of pages of documents and text and wiretaps, there is not one iota of evidence that he has loyalties to communism or China or hatred of America.”

Wei was first arrested around the same time as Wenheng Zhao, aka Thomas Zhao, another naturalized citizen from China, who pleaded guilty to conspiring with the same Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for money. Prosecutors say Zhao sent similar sensitive information about naval systems to the intelligence officer.

Zhao was sentenced to two years in prison in 2024.

Wei’s attorneys argued that, because the cases were so similar, he should get a similar sentence.

Wei’s attorneys asked for a two-and-a-half-year sentence, but the government argued a heavier sentence was needed to deter future offenders.

“Frankly, 30 months is insulting,” Parmley told the court.

Wei’s mother, Mingli Wei, described her son in a letter addressed to the court as a devout Christian and a kindhearted person who always tried to help people. Wei, who grew up without a father present in his life, went to a boarding school at a young age, until he eventually moved to the United States with his mother, settling in Wisconsin.

He became a naturalized U.S. citizen while he was in the Navy. According to prosecutors, his citizenship paperwork was being processed around the time he began his communications with Andy.

Huff addressed Wei directly from the bench, telling him she sympathized with his upbringing but that it’s no excuse for disclosing national defense information to a foreign government.

“This is a very sad case, but it illustrates that we require members of the military to adhere to their oath and not transmit secret defense information to outside the United States,” Huff said to the courtroom after the sentencing. “To Mr. Wei, I’m sorry that you are suffering the consequences of your own foolish behavior, and you will have to live with that for a long time, but you will have time in custody to reflect on your own behavior.”

Wei was also sentenced to three years of probation after his release. Huff said he will almost certainly be discharged from the Navy.

Additionally, Wei’s status as a naturalized citizen could be challenged, Parmley said.

“He swore an oath to die for this country,” Parmley told reporters after the sentencing. “I think he should be deported. When you betray the military, you should also be deported.”