(City News Service)- Jinchao Wei, 22, also known as Patrick Wei, is accused of accepting thousands of dollars from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for information concerning ”the defense and weapon capabilities of U.S. Navy ships, potential vulnerabilities of these ships, and information related to ship movement,” according to a grand jury indictment.
Prosecutors allege he also provided the officer with photographs of military hardware and details about an upcoming maritime warfare exercise involving U.S. Marines.
Wei, who was assigned as a machinist’s mate on the USS Essex, was arrested Wednesday at Naval Base San Diego.
U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said Wei’s prosecution represents the first time an espionage-related charge has been filed against someone in the Southern District of California.
Grossman said that per the indictment, Wei was approached by a Chinese intelligence officer while his application to become a U.S. citizen was pending.
”Wei admitted to his handler that he knew this activity would be viewed as spying and could affect his pending citizenship application,” Grossman said. ”Whether it was greed or for some other reason, Wei allegedly chose to turn his back on his newly adopted country and enter a conspiracy with his Chinese handler.”
The indictment alleges that beginning last year, Wei transmitted ”documents, sketches, plans, notes, and other information” to the handler, who instructed Wei to destroy any evidence substantiating their relationship. Some of the information he allegedly sent included technical data for the USS Essex and other amphibious assault ships.
Wei’s arrest coincided with the arrest of another sailor who worked at Naval Base Ventura County and was indicted on similar charges.
That sailor, Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, allegedly sent operational plans for a large-scale U.S. Military exercise in the Indo-Pacific Region to a Chinese information officer. Zhao was also paid thousands of dollars for the information, prosecutors allege.
Officials declined to comment on whether both sailors were communicating with the same intelligence officer.