Former U.S. Navy Sailor Gets Nearly 17 Years in Prison for Spying for China
- 2026-01-13 10:56:03
California -- A former U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced on Monday to nearly 17 years in prison, federal prosecutors said, after he was convicted of spying for China and using his security clearance to sell secrets about the capabilities of American warships, including their vulnerabilities.
The onetime sailor, Jinchao Wei, known as Patrick Wei, 25, was a machinist’s mate aboard the Essex, an amphibious assault ship moored at Naval Base San Diego.
A jury in U.S. District Court in San Diego found Mr. Wei guilty in August on six of seven criminal counts he faced, including two spying charges brought under the Espionage Act, and four conspiracy counts in violation of the Arms Export Control Act.
