Navy Sailor Convicted of Espionage for China in San Diego

Jury finds machinist’s mate Jinchao “Patrick” Wei guilty on six counts for leaking ship systems data; prosecutors say he sold secrets for at least $12,000. Sentencing set for December.

SAN DIEGO | A federal jury on Wednesday convicted Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, a 25-year-old U.S. Navy machinist’s mate assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, on six counts tied to a China-directed spying scheme that funneled sensitive technical information on U.S. warships to a foreign intelligence officer. Wei, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was acquitted on a single naturalization-fraud charge but found guilty of conspiracy and espionage offenses for transmitting defense information in exchange for cash payments totaling at least $12,000, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors told jurors Wei’s handler initially posed on Chinese social media as a naval enthusiast affiliated with a state shipbuilder, then requested photos, videos, manuals, and other documents detailing weapons, propulsion and defensive systems aboard the Essex and similar Wasp-class ships. Investigators said Wei and the handler used virtual “dead drops” on disappearing, password-protected sites to exchange materials and instructions. NCIS testimony warned that even seemingly “basic” ship data can expose vulnerabilities adversaries can exploit.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys argued Wei was motivated by greed, not ideology, emphasizing that he took the military oath—and broke it by selling secrets that could endanger sailors, allies, and national security. Defense counsel conceded Wei made “very, very wrong” choices but insisted he never intended to harm the United States and believed the manuals were outdated and “not valuable.” After roughly seven hours of deliberations over two days, the jury sided with the government.

Wei, who moved to the United States in 2016 and enlisted in 2021, was arrested in August 2023 as he reported for duty at Naval Base San Diego. By then, agents had bugged his apartment and tapped his phone for months. As a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, the Essex functions as a small carrier capable of deploying more than 1,000 sailors and 1,500 Marines—key to rapid response in regions from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea.

The conviction comes amid a wider Justice Department push against PRC-linked acquisition of U.S. defense secrets. On the same day as Wei’s 2023 arrest, DOJ announced the separate arrest of sailor Wenheng “Thomas” Zhao, who later admitted accepting nearly $15,000 for sharing sensitive, though unclassified, information and received a two-year, three-month sentence. DOJ also recently charged two alleged spies with surveilling a U.S. naval base and attempting to recruit service members.

What’s next: Wei is scheduled to be sentenced in December. Espionage statutes carry significant potential prison terms. The court will also consider aggravating factors tied to national-security harm.

Why It Matters

• Operational risk: Technical details—even legacy system data—help adversaries map U.S. platforms, tactics, and vulnerabilities.
• Counterintelligence pressure: The case underscores social-media-based targeting and financial inducements as persistent vectors.
• Fleet implications: Amphibious ships like the Essex are central to Indo-Pacific crisis response and contested-littoral operations.

Key Timeline

• 2016: Wei and his mother relocate to the U.S.
• July 2021: Wei enlists in the Navy.
• March 2022: Reports to USS Essex in San Diego.
• 2022–2023: Exchanges data via virtual dead drops; receives ≥ $12,000.
• Aug. 2023: Arrested at Naval Base San Diego.
• Aug. 20, 2025: Jury convicts on six counts; acquits on naturalization-fraud count.
• December 2025: Sentencing expected.

Notable Quotes

• U.S. Attorney (San Diego): The conduct was an “egregious betrayal” that “jeopardized … the security of the entire nation and our allies.”
• DOJ prosecutor: “Wei’s allegiance was to Wei,” emphasizing personal gain over ideology.
• Defense counsel: Wei made serious mistakes but did not intend to harm the U.S.

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-- By Leticia Jacobs

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