Former US sailor sentenced to16 years in prison for spying for China

Former U.S. Navy sailor Jinchao Wei has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison—about 16 years—after being found guilty by a jury of spying for China by passing U.S. military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Wei, 25, also known as Patrick Wei, was sentenced in federal court following his August 2025 jury conviction for espionage.

“Today, the Justice Department announced that Jinchao Wei, a former U.S. Navy sailor who was convicted of espionage by a federal jury in August 2025, was sentenced in federal court to 200 months in prison.”

“Wei was arrested in August 2023 as he arrived for work on the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex at Naval Base San Diego. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury and accused of selling national defence information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China in exchange for more than $12,000,” the department said.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “Members of the United States military swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

“This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and compromised the national security of the United States.”

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Wei violated his oath to the country.

“He made a mockery of these commitments when he chose to endanger our nation and our servicemembers by selling U.S. military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer for personal profit,” he said.

According to the Justice Department, Wei held a U.S. security clearance in his role as a machinist’s mate and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems.

“Wei betrayed the trust placed in him as a member of the U.S. Navy by knowingly transmitting sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer,” said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky.

“This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protect sensitive national defence information.”

U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said the betrayal “struck at the heart of our national security” and warranted a severe sentence.

The court heard that Wei was recruited by a Chinese intelligence officer via social media in February 2022. Despite suspecting early on that the contact was linked to Chinese intelligence, Wei continued communications using encrypted applications and began supplying photographs, videos, ship locations and technical details about U.S. Navy vessels.

“By sharing thousands of documents, operating manuals, and export-controlled and sensitive information with a Chinese intelligence officer, Petty Officer Wei knowingly betrayed his fellow service members and the American people,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez.

Following a five-day trial, the jury convicted Wei of six counts, including conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of defence-related technical data. He was acquitted of one count of naturalisation fraud.

During a post-arrest interview, Wei admitted his actions and described them as “espionage.” In an exchange with FBI agents presented at trial, Wei said, “I’m screwed,” acknowledging he knew he was “not supposed to do that.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.