SAN DIEGO
A former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of espionage was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in federal prison, the Justice Department announced Monday.
Jinchao Wei, 25, also known as Patrick Wei, was arrested in August 2023 as he arrived for work aboard the USS Essex at Naval Base San Diego. A federal jury convicted him in August 2025 of six counts, including conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of defense-related technical data in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. He was acquitted of one count of naturalization fraud.
Prosecutors said Wei sold sensitive national defense information to an intelligence officer for the People’s Republic of China for more than $12,000 over 18 months.
The material included photographs, videos, ship locations, weapons descriptions, and roughly 60 technical and operating manuals taken from restricted Navy systems.
Wei held a security clearance and served as a machinist’s mate with access to information on weapons, propulsion, and desalination systems.
Evidence showed Wei suspected he was being recruited by Chinese intelligence but continued the relationship, moving communications to encrypted platforms and taking steps to conceal his activity.
After his arrest, Wei admitted he knew his actions were wrong and described them as “espionage.”