Chinese-Born US Sailor Convicted of Espionage as Spy

A Chinese-born U.S. Navy sailor was convicted Wednesday of espionage and other charges for selling military secrets to a Chinese spy for $12,000.

After a five-day trial, a federal jury in San Diego convicted Jinchao Wei, 22, of six counts, including 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, the Department of Justice said in a news release.

Wei also was convicted of four counts of conspiring to violate and violating the Arms Export Control Act, which prohibits exporting U.S. military equipment and technology — what the government calls “defense articles” — without a license from the State Department. Wei is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1.