At a Glance
- A 25-year-old U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced to 200 months in prison for espionage
- Jinchao Wei sent photos, videos, and thousands of pages of technical documents to a Chinese intelligence officer
- He accepted over $12,000 in payments across 18 months
- Why it matters: The case marks the first espionage conviction in San Diego’s federal court, highlighting insider threats within the military
A former San Diego-based sailor will spend more than 16 years in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of leaking sensitive U.S. Navy information to a Chinese intelligence operative.
The Recruitment and Payments
Jinchao Wei, 25, served as a machinist’s mate aboard the USS Essex. Federal prosecutors say he first met the alleged officer in early 2022 on a Chinese social-media platform. The initial request was modest: $500 to identify where Navy ships were docked. Wei messaged a shipmate at the time, “This is quite obviously [expletive] espionage,” yet he continued the relationship.
Over the next 18 months Wei:
- Emailed dozens of photographs and videos of the USS Essex
- Transmitted thousands of pages of technical manuals and operational documents covering surface-warfare ships
- Used encrypted apps to hide the traffic
- Received more than $12,000 in electronic payments
Investigation and Arrest
Wei was arrested in mid-2023. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California-covering San Diego and Imperial counties-charged him with espionage under 18 U.S.C. § 794, making him the first defendant in that district ever indicted for spying.
During a search of his devices investigators found:
- Encrypted-chat logs with the handler
- Searches for prior Navy espionage prosecutions
- Navy training slides warning sailors how foreign intelligence services recruit
Trial and Verdict
A federal jury in San Diego convicted Wei last summer on six of seven counts, including conspiracy and espionage. Closing arguments centered on intent. Defense attorney Sean Jones argued Wei believed he was assisting a Chinese academic interested in “educational” research about American naval vessels. Jones told jurors the government never proved Wei knowingly committed espionage, noting his client refused the first suspicious task and was reassured later requests were harmless.
Prosecutors countered that Wei’s own training briefings had explained how foreign agents operate. They pointed to:
- His immediate recognition that the first task was espionage
- His deliberate use of encrypted communications
- His internet history researching other convicted Navy spies
The Sentence
On Monday U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo sentenced Wei to 200 months-more than 16 years-in federal prison. The term falls within federal sentencing guidelines for unauthorized disclosure of defense information with intent to benefit a foreign power.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon issued a statement after the hearing: “Petty Officer Wei betrayed his oath, his shipmates, the United States Navy, and the American people-a level of disloyalty that strikes at the heart of our national security and demanded this powerful sentence.”
Key Takeaways
- The case underscores the vulnerability of enlisted sailors with high-level clearance and day-to-day access to sensitive systems
- Encrypted platforms make tracing insider threats harder, but metadata and payment records still provide evidence
- The 16-year sentence sends a signal that military espionage will draw severe punishment even when no shots are fired
Wei, who has been in custody since his 2023 arrest, will receive credit for time served. After prison he faces three years of supervised release and a potential dishonorable discharge still pending under separate military proceedings.
