A San Diego Navy sailor accused of sharing photos, videos and more than 50 manuals of U.S. military intel with a Chinese intelligence official is facing new charges.
Jinchao Wei appeared before a judge Thursday for an arraignment on a superseding indictment. Wei pleaded not guilty to three new charges that were added to his case.
Relevant content:
The 22-year-old is accused of providing detailed information on the weapon systems and aircraft abroad the Essex and other amphibious assault Navy ships.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Prosecutors said Wei, who was born in China, was approached by a Chinese intelligence officer in February 2022 while he was applying to become a naturalized U.S. citizen and that Wei admitted to the officer that he knew the arrangement could affect his application.
Even then, at the Chinese officer’s request, Wei provided photographs and videos of Navy ships, including the USS Essex, which can carry an array of helicopters, according to the initial indictment.
The initial indictment also alleged Wei included as many as 50 manuals containing technical and mechanical data about Navy ships and details about the number and training of Marines during an upcoming exercise.
The Justice Department charged Wei under a rarely used Espionage Act law. He also faces additional charges for exporting defense articles without a license and one charge for naturalization fraud.
According to the superseding indictment, Wei lied to the U.S. government during his naturalization process.
Gary Barthel is a retired lieutenant colonel and military law expert. NBC 7 asked him about this case and the espionage charges.
“Any time that a U.S. attorney’s office wants to add an additional charge or charges in a specific case, they have to get a superseding indictment to do that and so I anticipate that they will be additional charges filed in this case.” Lt. Barthel said. “It does expose all of the sailors on this ship to a threat, but it also exposes other U.S. Navy ships as well to the same sorts of threats. This information in the hands of the Chinese, can be devastating to the U.S. National Security."
Wei is one of two California-based sailors accused of accepting bribes in exchange for sending military information to China. The other was based out of Naval Base Ventura County and was arrested around the same time.
Wei is due in court again on Monday for his status hearing.
