Ex-Navy sailor receives 16-year sentence for selling secrets to Chinese agents
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Jan 13, 2026, 20:27 IST
A man who once worked as an engineer for the US Navy now faces more than sixteen years behind bars after sharing sensitive naval data with someone linked to Chinese intelligence. Federal officials say cases like this show how ongoing threats can shake national safety. The details emerged through courtroom statements and investigative reports.
TL;DR
One former Navy member named Jinchao Wei has been found guilty of spying by a group of jurors. This led to him getting locked up for sixteen years behind bars. Money changed hands - more than twelve thousand dollars - from people linked to China's intelligence circles. In return, he passed along classified guides plus information about naval vessels. Law enforcement agencies managed to see his deeds, keep them under watch and finally, judge them as illegal in court.
A federal court in San Diego this week has given a sentence of 200 months in prison to Jinchao Wei, a 25-year-old. The man is a former US Navy member now behind bars for giving foreign agents access to highly classified military data. His conviction came after trial evidence supported six separate charges, one being spying. That punishment - more than thirteen years behind bars - was confirmed by officials from the Department of Justice. They stated their case was closed following the judge's ruling on Monday.
A decision came down in August when the jury decided Wei had done wrong. He once served as an engineer aboard the USS Essex, a vessel built for landings from sea. Money changed hands - he got more than twelve thousand dollars, according to those making the case. Information about navy ships and weapon setups was also shared by him. That exchange formed a key piece of what they used to prove their point.
Fake interest started it - someone online claimed to love navy topics, said they worked for a state-owned shipbuilder. Court papers show Wei got pulled in during 2022 through those messages. That contact wasn’t who they seemed; federal prosecutors later revealed the truth. Behind the screen stood a spy, working directly for China’s government.
A courtroom revealed Wei grew wary early on, thinking the connection might tie into spying. The government claimed Wei confided in someone close, calling the individual “extremely suspicious,” adding they appeared “quite obviously” tied to intelligence operations. Still, after raising those concerns, communication went on - shifting instead to a private chat app thought to offer stronger protection.
For a year and a half, pictures and clips of the USS Essex flowed through Wei’s messages, according to prosecutors. Where American warships were stationed - he gave that too. The way the Essex protected itself - that came out as well. Officials claim he traded more than sixty manuals, some covering how weapons are managed. Others dealt with planes taking off and landing. Even the machinery moving them between decks was included.
“These manuals carried export control warnings and contained sensitive technical data,” the Department of Justice said in its statement. “The information could have been used to compromise US naval operations.”
At the point of his wrongdoing, Wei was a non-commissioned officer of the second class, John. The USS Essex, which the US Navy has described as capable of delivering support for not less than 2,000 Marines during air and sea assault operations, is a ship ready for demanding missions and has very strong features.
As per the federal court documents, Wenheng Zhao had been sentenced to over two years of imprisonment in 2024. Convicted of bribery and secret planning, he faced consequences alongside another sailor. One of them, Wei, was named in an August 2023 charge tied to passing defence details to China. Two Navy personnel ended up charged that summer for aiding a foreign power.
Sorry, filled Wei’s words when he spoke through a note handed to the judge before punishment. Deep regret came through clearly - he never meant harm toward America, just wanted mercy. Believing in someone who seemed kind pulled him off course, he explained. Quiet by nature, often isolated, those feelings warped how he saw things, he admitted. Trust grew where it shouldn’t have, because being alone too long made truth hard to spot.
Folks in Washington keep raising alarms over spying, which they say comes straight from Beijing. Over the past few years, prosecutors have taken on multiple matters - each tied to claims of grabbing secret data, both from federal offices and private firms.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the danger posed by foreign intelligence operations,” prosecutors said. “Protecting national security remains a top priority.”
One former Navy member named Jinchao Wei has been found guilty of spying by a group of jurors. This led to him getting locked up for sixteen years behind bars. Money changed hands - more than twelve thousand dollars - from people linked to China's intelligence circles. In return, he passed along classified guides plus information about naval vessels. Law enforcement agencies managed to see his deeds, keep them under watch and finally, judge them as illegal in court.
A federal court in San Diego this week has given a sentence of 200 months in prison to Jinchao Wei, a 25-year-old. The man is a former US Navy member now behind bars for giving foreign agents access to highly classified military data. His conviction came after trial evidence supported six separate charges, one being spying. That punishment - more than thirteen years behind bars - was confirmed by officials from the Department of Justice. They stated their case was closed following the judge's ruling on Monday.
A decision came down in August when the jury decided Wei had done wrong. He once served as an engineer aboard the USS Essex, a vessel built for landings from sea. Money changed hands - he got more than twelve thousand dollars, according to those making the case. Information about navy ships and weapon setups was also shared by him. That exchange formed a key piece of what they used to prove their point.
Fake interest started it - someone online claimed to love navy topics, said they worked for a state-owned shipbuilder. Court papers show Wei got pulled in during 2022 through those messages. That contact wasn’t who they seemed; federal prosecutors later revealed the truth. Behind the screen stood a spy, working directly for China’s government.
A courtroom revealed Wei grew wary early on, thinking the connection might tie into spying. The government claimed Wei confided in someone close, calling the individual “extremely suspicious,” adding they appeared “quite obviously” tied to intelligence operations. Still, after raising those concerns, communication went on - shifting instead to a private chat app thought to offer stronger protection.
For a year and a half, pictures and clips of the USS Essex flowed through Wei’s messages, according to prosecutors. Where American warships were stationed - he gave that too. The way the Essex protected itself - that came out as well. Officials claim he traded more than sixty manuals, some covering how weapons are managed. Others dealt with planes taking off and landing. Even the machinery moving them between decks was included.
“These manuals carried export control warnings and contained sensitive technical data,” the Department of Justice said in its statement. “The information could have been used to compromise US naval operations.”
At the point of his wrongdoing, Wei was a non-commissioned officer of the second class, John. The USS Essex, which the US Navy has described as capable of delivering support for not less than 2,000 Marines during air and sea assault operations, is a ship ready for demanding missions and has very strong features.
As per the federal court documents, Wenheng Zhao had been sentenced to over two years of imprisonment in 2024. Convicted of bribery and secret planning, he faced consequences alongside another sailor. One of them, Wei, was named in an August 2023 charge tied to passing defence details to China. Two Navy personnel ended up charged that summer for aiding a foreign power.
Sorry, filled Wei’s words when he spoke through a note handed to the judge before punishment. Deep regret came through clearly - he never meant harm toward America, just wanted mercy. Believing in someone who seemed kind pulled him off course, he explained. Quiet by nature, often isolated, those feelings warped how he saw things, he admitted. Trust grew where it shouldn’t have, because being alone too long made truth hard to spot.
Folks in Washington keep raising alarms over spying, which they say comes straight from Beijing. Over the past few years, prosecutors have taken on multiple matters - each tied to claims of grabbing secret data, both from federal offices and private firms.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the danger posed by foreign intelligence operations,” prosecutors said. “Protecting national security remains a top priority.”