A Navy sailor faces life in prison after being convicted of selling sensitive military information about the USS Essex weapons systems to China for $12,000 in exchange. Prosecutors accuse the 25-year-old sailor, Jinchao ‘Patrick’ Wei, of using his position as a machinist’s mate on the amphibious assault ship USS Essex at Naval Base San Diego to gather and share classified information with a Chinese intelligence officer. The jury found him guilty on six of seven charges, including espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act. His actions reportedly posed a serious threat to national security and the safety of U.S. military personnel.
Wei’s attorney argued that the sailor was young and naive, and that his actions were a mistake, with no real intent to harm the United States. However, the U.S. Attorney, Adam Gordon, called the betrayal of trust by a military member ‘egregious,’ emphasizing the serious national security risks posed by the case. The sailor was allegedly paid $12,000 over a year and a half by a Chinese intelligence officer who posed as a naval enthusiast working for the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The officer approached Wei in February 2022 and offered him money in exchange for intelligence on the USS Essex and other Navy ships at the San Diego Naval Base.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Wei sent thousands of pages of technical and operational information about U.S. Navy surface warfare ships to the Chinese agent. The DOJ noted that these actions were not just a mistake but a deliberate act of espionage that endangered the lives of sailors and compromised national security. The sentencing is scheduled for December 1, with the attorney claiming that Wei has no allegiance to China and that his actions had no real impact on national security. This case is part of a broader pattern of Chinese nationals being arrested for espionage activities targeting U.S. military bases, including two Chinese citizens detained in Houston last month for attempting to collect intelligence about U.S. Navy personnel and bases.