In a significant espionage conviction, a federal judge in San Diego imposed a 200-month prison sentence on Jinchao Wei, a 25-year-old former U.S. Navy sailor, after his conviction on six counts, including espionage. Wei was found guilty in August of unlawfully providing sensitive ship manuals and operational data to a Chinese intelligence officer. The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed that Wei received over $12,000 in payment for these disclosures.
Wei served as an engineer aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex and was among two sailors based in California accused in August 2023 of clandestinely supplying military secrets to China. The second sailor, Wenheng Zhao, pled guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges related to his official duties and was sentenced in early 2024 to a prison term exceeding two years.
Authorities have consistently expressed their concerns about espionage threats linked to the Chinese government, leading to multiple legal actions against intelligence operatives for illicit acquisition of confidential government and commercial information, sometimes via cyber intrusions.
Details presented in court indicate Wei was recruited in 2022 by an individual posing as a naval enthusiast affiliated with the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. This contact, later identified as a Chinese intelligence officer, persuaded Wei through social media interactions.
Despite recognizing the suspicious nature of the contact, with Wei telling a friend that the individual appeared "extremely suspicious" and the situation was "quite obviously" espionage-related, Wei disregarded cautionary advice to sever ties. Instead, he transitioned their communication to an encrypted messaging platform he assumed would offer enhanced security.
Over approximately 18 months, Wei provided the intelligence officer with photographs and videos of the USS Essex, relayed information on the locations of various naval vessels, and disclosed details about the Essex’s defensive weaponry. The materials Wei sold included 60 technical and operating manuals covering systems such as weapons control, aircraft operations, and deck elevators. These manuals featured export control warnings and included detailed operational instructions for multiple systems aboard the Essex and comparable naval ships.
Wei held the rank of petty officer second class, an enlisted sailor designation, and worked closely with sensitive naval technology on the Essex. The USS Essex itself is outfitted to deploy and support over 2,000 Marine Corps troops during air and amphibious assaults, underscoring the strategic significance of the information compromised.
In a heartfelt letter submitted prior to his sentencing, Wei expressed remorse for his actions, attributing his poor judgement to "introversion and loneliness" and acknowledging that he should not have shared classified data with someone he had come to regard as a friend.