(NewsNation) — A former U.S. Navy sailor has been sentenced to 200 months in prison in federal court, months after being convicted of espionage.
Patrick Wei, 25, was convicted of six crimes: conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage and unlawful export of, and conspiracy to export, technical data related to defense articles in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
He was found not guilty of one count of naturalization fraud.
The Justice Department announced the verdict in a news release Monday. According to the agency, Wei was recruited by a Chinese intelligence officer via social media in February 2022.
Despite suspecting the motives of the officer, Wei continued communicating with the officer, sending photos and videos of the assault ship U.S.S. Essex at Naval Base San Diego, and sharing other sensitive information. Wei told a friend during Feb. 2022, “This is quite obviously f—— espionage.”
“This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and compromised the national security of the United States. The Justice Department will not tolerate this behavior. We stand ready to investigate, defend, and protect the interests of the American people,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
Wei was paid more than $12,000 across 18 months, partially in exchange for at least 30 technical and operating manuals about U.S. Navy systems, labeled “one of his larger thefts of U.S. Navy data.”
“By sharing thousands of documents, operating manuals, and export-controlled and sensitive information with a Chinese intelligence officer, Petty Officer Wei knowingly betrayed his fellow service members and the American people,” NCIS Director Omar Lopez said in the release.