Ex-Navy Sailor Sentenced to 16 Years for Espionage

A federal judge in San Diego sentenced former U.S. Navy sailor Jinchao Wei to more than 16 years in prison on Monday for selling sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer, marking a significant case in ongoing efforts to counter espionage threats from China.

Wei, 25, received 200 months behind bars after a jury convicted him in August of six counts, including conspiracy to commit espionage and unlawfully transmitting defense information to aid a foreign government. The conviction stemmed from actions between 2022 and 2023, during which Wei, a petty officer second class and machinist's mate assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, provided dozens of technical and operating manuals to the officer in exchange for more than $12,000. The materials detailed weapons control systems, aircraft operations, deck elevators, propulsion, and defensive capabilities on the Essex and similar vessels, some of which carried export control warnings.

Prosecutors described how Wei was recruited through a Chinese social media platform in 2022. The intelligence officer initially posed as a naval enthusiast employed by the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry...