A federal court in San Diego has delivered a substantial prison sentence to a former U.S. Navy engineer convicted of espionage for China. Jinchao Wei, 25, received a 200-month (16.6-year) prison term following his August conviction on six counts of transmitting sensitive military intelligence to Chinese operatives.
Court documents reveal Wei, who served as an engineer aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, systematically provided classified technical manuals and operational details to an intelligence officer posing as a naval enthusiast. The elaborate scheme unfolded over 18 months beginning in 2022, during which Wei transferred approximately 60 technical manuals covering weapons control systems, aircraft operations, and deck elevators—all containing export control warnings.
Despite acknowledging suspicions about his contact’s true identity, Wei continued the relationship after moving communications to an encrypted platform he believed offered greater security. Evidence presented at trial showed he received over $12,000 in compensation for providing photos, videos, and real-time location data concerning Navy vessels, including detailed information about the Essex’s defensive capabilities.
The case represents one of several recent prosecutions highlighting concerns about Chinese intelligence operations targeting U.S. military secrets. In a related case, Wenheng Zhao, another California-based sailor, received a two-year sentence after pleading guilty to similar charges.
Before sentencing, Wei submitted a letter to the court expressing remorse, attributing his actions to ‘introversion and loneliness’ that clouded his judgment. The USS Essex, capable of transporting over 2,000 Marines during amphibious assaults, represents critical U.S. naval power projection capabilities that foreign intelligence services actively seek to understand.