Overview
- A federal judge in San Diego imposed a 200‑month prison term on Jinchao “Patrick” Wei after a jury conviction in August on six counts including espionage and export‑control violations.
- Wei, 25, was a machinist’s mate with a security clearance on the USS Essex and had access to sensitive details about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems.
- Prosecutors said a Chinese intelligence officer posing as a naval enthusiast recruited Wei in early 2022, after which he shifted to encrypted apps and continued supplying material for 18 months.
- Evidence showed Wei sold photos, videos, ship locations and dozens of export‑controlled technical and operating manuals—totaling thousands of pages—in exchange for more than $12,000.
- Wei was arrested at Naval Base San Diego in August 2023; prosecutors sought more than 20 years, the defense argued he was manipulated, and officials said discharge and potential denaturalization actions are pending.