Ex-Sailor Convicted of Spying for China Sentenced to 16 Years

A former U.S. Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, was sentenced to 200 months (16 years) in federal prison after supplying photos and documents to a Chinese handler for $12,000; he was approached on social media in 2022, recognized it as espionage, told a friend he was no fool, and later pleaded in court, saying “I screwed up.” He had served aboard the USS Essex and was arrested in 2023 after the DOJ described the case as spying for Beijing.