The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that a former Navy sailor who was convicted of espionage by a federal jury in August 2025 was sentenced to “200 months in prison” or 16 years. The DOJ said that Jinchao Wei, 25, also known as Patrick Wei, was arrested in August 2023 as he arrived for work on the amphibious assault ship USS Essex at Naval Base San Diego.
A federal grand jury indicted him on allegations that he sold national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China for $12,000. That’s right, he sold your sense of safety and security for the price of a used Prius.
US Navy sailor Jinchao Wei sentenced 16+ years for espionage, providing Chinese intelligence 60 USS Essex manuals and operational data, including weapons systems, aircraft operations, and deck elevators, over 18 months for $12,000; recruited via social media. pic.twitter.com/WoQezRpq5A
— Delta OSINT (@OSINTDelta) January 13, 2026
“Members of the United States military swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and compromised the national security of the United States.”
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg added, “Wei swore loyalty to the United States when he joined the Navy and reaffirmed that oath when he became a citizen. He then accepted the solemn responsibility of protecting this Nation’s secrets when the United States entrusted him with sensitive Navy information. He made a mockery of these commitments when he chose to endanger our Nation and our servicemembers by selling U.S. military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer for personal profit.”
Wei was convicted of six counts, which included conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of, and conspiracy to export, technical data related to defense articles in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
According to reports, Wei was a machinist’s mate, serving on the Essex. He held a U.S. security clearance, which provided access to sensitive security information about that vessel. During his trial, the prosecution showed evidence that someone representing China approached Wei in 2022 via social media. That individual was a self-described “naval enthusiast” who worked for the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
DOJ said in a statement, “The evidence showed that even during the early days of his espionage career, Wei strongly suspected the intelligence officer’s true identity and motive.”
Indeed, the person was in fact a Chinese spy. Wei and his new friend formed a relationship that lasted from February 2022 until he was arrested in August 2023. During this time, he referred to the intelligence officer as “Big Brother Andy,” who would request specific information about the Navy’s ships and other information. Wei responded by providing his “big brother” with detailed information about the Essex, which included photographs, videos, and information on its weaponry.
Amphibious assault ships like the Essex look like small aircraft carriers and allow the U.S. military to maintain presence in far corners of the world, enhancing the country’s readiness to respond to global threats.
But it wasn’t just about the Essex. Wei provided information that he retrieved from Navy computer systems on other U.S. Navy warships. In return, he received that $12,000 over 18 months. As traitors go, Wei was a cheap date.
“By sharing thousands of documents, operating manuals, and export-controlled and sensitive information with a Chinese intelligence officer, Petty Officer Wei knowingly betrayed his fellow service members and the American people,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez.
“Today’s sentence marks the conclusion of a first-of-its-kind espionage investigation in the district and reflects the seriousness of Wei’s egregious actions against his own country,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis, of the FBI San Diego Field Office.
On February 22, 2022, the DOJ said, “Wei told a friend who was also in the U.S. Navy that he thought he was ‘on the radar of a China intelligence organization,’ as he was in contact with an individual who was ‘extremely suspicious,’ ‘interested in the maintenance cycle of naval ships,’ and wanted him to ‘walk the pier’ to ‘see which ships are docked’ on a ‘daily basis.’ Wei said that this person would pay him $500. Wei told his friend that he is ‘no idiot’ and that 'this is quite obviously fucking espionage.’”
The DOJ then said that Wei’s friend suggested that he delete the contact, but instead of doing that, Wei moved his communications with the Chinese spy to another encrypted messaging app that he believed gave him more privacy and security. From there, he continued to dialogue with and spy for the Chinese officer, using a computer provided by “Andy.”
Wei provided information on the location of several Navy ships; he also described problems with his ship and other ships based at Naval Base San Diego and elsewhere. He also sent the spy “thousands of pages of technical and operational information about U.S. Navy surface warfare ships like the Essex that he took from restricted U.S. Navy computer systems.”
Hei sold the Chinese spy a minimum of 30 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy systems.
The DOJ said, “These manuals contained export control warnings and detailed the operations of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similar ships, including power, steering, weapons control, aircraft and deck elevators, as well as damage and casualty controls. In total, Wei sold the intelligence officer approximately 60 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy ships, as well as dozens of photographs and papers about the U.S. Navy and Wei’s assignments on the Essex. Many of the manuals contained conspicuous export-control warnings on their cover pages.”
At trial, prosecutors showed that Wei demonstrated an increasing willingness to collect more and more sensitive information.
If convicted of the crime of espionage under U.S. Code Section 794, the harshest possible sentence is the death penalty. As the DOJ says, “This statute is reserved for the most serious circumstances involving the passage of national defense information intended to harm the United States or for the benefit of a foreign power.”
Since Wei was sentenced to only 16 years in prison, I’d call that a slap on the wrist. At 25 years old today, this means he’ll be back on the street when he’s 41 at the latest. I guess I shouldn’t complain. Given the sad state of the judiciary today, I’m surprised some judge didn’t acquit Wei altogether.
Get the year off to a good start by taking advantage of the full catalogue of common sense thinking that comes with a PJ Media VIP membership. The good news is, PJ Media VIP memberships are on sale! Get 60% off of an annual VIP, VIP Gold, or VIP Platinum membership! Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off a VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member