Sailor Gets 2 Years Prison Time, Sold Secrets To China

U.S.Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao of Monterey Park, California, received a 27-month prison sentence on Monday for selling sensitive information to China.

The navy servicemen admitted to accepting bribes from China in exchange for U.S. military secrets. Initially, The Justice Department sought a 37-month prison sentence for obstructing a government investigation.

In October, the U.S. sailor admitted to receiving approximately $15,000 in bribes from China over the course of two years while working at Naval Base Ventura County. Zhao pleaded guilty to one count of working with a Chinese intelligence officer and one count of receiving bribes.

According to The Justice Department, Zhao secretly collected and sent sensitive information about vital infrastructure, military training, and Naval operational security.

Zhao admitted to secretly sending China scheduled plans for a large maritime training exercise at the Pacific Theater, electrical diagrams, and operational orders.

“Officer Zhao betrayed his country and the men and women of the U.S. Navy by accepting bribes from a foreign adversary. While he and the PRC officer he served took great pains to conceal their corrupt scheme, investigators were vigilant in uncovering this shameful plot,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said.

“As a result, he has now been removed from the military and will serve time in federal prison. Today’s sentence shows that my office will swiftly act to root out and punish those who seek to undermine our nation’s security,” she added

Zhao, a U.S. citizen born in China, has been held in custody without bail since last July. “He’s ready to take responsibility for what he has done,” Zhao’s attorney, Tarek Shawk, said.

A second Petty Officer, Jinchao Wei, was taken into custody at the same time for a separate plot to send sensitive information to a Chinese Intelligence officer.

The FBI Los Angeles Field Office is the one who investigated Zhao’s suspicious criminal activities. Additionally, the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, Cyber Division, and the IRS also helped with the investigation that led to Zhao’s prison sentencing.

However, many Americans believe the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, and Zhao received a slap on the wrist for putting the U.S. at risk.