Sailor Sentenced Selling Secrets
USS Essex (LHD-2)
USS Essex (LHD 2) is the second ship in the Wasp-class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships. She was designed to carry a full range of Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, AV-8B Harrier II and F-35B Lightning II attack aircraft, Air Cushion Landing Craft (LCAC) and various amphibious vehicles and assault vessels. She is the 5th ship to bear the name dating back to the frigate Essex launched from Salem, Mass. on 30 September 1799.
Sailor to Serve 16-Year Prison Sentence for Selling Secrets to China
Gidget Fuentes
A former U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced Monday to 16 years in prison for espionage after a jury convicted him of selling the sea service’s secrets to China.
A federal judge in San Diego, Calif., handed down the 200-month – or 16-year, eight-months – prison sentence to former Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 25, who was convicted in August of espionage and conspiracy to commit espionage, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.Over an 18-month period, Wei gave a Chinese military intelligence officer dozens of sensitive manuals, technical reports and photographs of Navy surface ships. In return, Wei collected over $12,000 for his actions, which he told a friend likely was “espionage.” The sailor, who was subsequently kicked out of the Navy, had worked in the main engine spaces of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2), homeported at Naval Base San Diego.
“He betrayed his oath, his shipmates, the United States Navy and the American people, a level of disloyalty that strikes at the heart of our national security and demanded this powerful sentence,” federal prosecutor Adam Gordon said in a news release announcing the sentencing results.
He turned over pics and tech/operating manuals some of which were export controlled- not even classified as Confidential. In other words a lot of what was readily available from open sources or easily extrapolated from the industry development process.
Espionage and conspiracy to commit espionage convictions can carry life sentences as well as $250,000 in fines. The prosecutors were looking at 20+ years. He got off light.
MKGA!
Make Keelhauling Great Again!
Was thinking the same. Sixteen years? A slap on the wrist. Set a firmer punishment.
And if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve already read my anti-Chinese rant on a previous post.
How long a rope will we need if you use the Essex as the vessel? King Ropes could probably make us something suitable.
Port-starboard or bow-to-stern? I don’t think the end result will differ all that much.
That is about 6,114 days in prison, hard time, no parole, $12,000 works out to almost $2 a day. Seems cost ineffective to me.
He was being groomed to give away the big stuff; but never got to it. Looks like they nabbed him in time.