SAN DIEGO — A U.S. Navy sailor from San Diego pleaded not guilty Thursday to espionage-related charges alleging he sent sensitive military information to China.
Jinchao Wei, 22, also known as Patrick Wei, is accused of accepting thousands of dollars from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for information concerning "the defense and weapon capabilities of U.S. Navy ships, potential vulnerabilities of these ships, and information related to ship movement," according to a grand jury indictment.
Prosecutors allege he also provided the officer with photographs of military hardware and details about an upcoming maritime warfare exercise involving U.S. Marines.
Wei is one of two Southern California sailors arrested for allegedly sending sensitive information to China. Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, also known as Thomas Zhao, was arrested Wednesday and pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles to charges of conspiracy and receipt of a bribe by a public official. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Zhao was working at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme.
Wei was arrested Wednesday on espionage charges when he arrived for work at Naval Base San Diego. He was indicted for conspiracy to send national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China.
The indictment, unsealed Thursday morning, alleges that Wei was an active-duty sailor on the amphibious assault ship the U.S.S. Essex stationed at Naval Base San Diego. As a machinist’s mate, Wei held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion, and desalination systems.
According to the indictment, in February 2022, Wei began communicating with an intelligence officer from the PRC who requested that Wei provide information about the U.S.S. Essex and other Navy ships. Specifically, the Chinese intelligence officer gave Wei photos, videos, and documents concerning U.S. Navy ships and their systems. The two agreed to hide their communications by deleting their conversations' records and using encrypted communication methods.
“We have entrusted members of our military with tremendous responsibility and great faith,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “Our nation’s safety and security are in their hands. When a soldier or sailor chooses cash over country and hands over national defense information in an ultimate act of betrayal, the United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute.”
It remained unclear Thursday if the cases were related, and officials declined to comment on whether both sailors were communicating with the same intelligence officer.
Full News Conference | Announcement from U.S. Attorney for Southern California on 2 US Navy sailors arrested on charges tied to national security and China