The Department of Defense logo is seen before a press conference at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on August 15, 2023.
Celal Gunes | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Army Sgt. arrested Friday on suspicion of attempting to provide sensitive national security information to China. US Department of Justice Said.
According to the Department of Justice, the suspect, Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, was taken into custody at the San Francisco airport after arriving from China.
After leaving the military in January 2020, Schmidt began working to provide U.S. defense information to Chinese intelligence agencies, the department said.
He left the United States for Hong Kong in March 2020 and remained there until this week to continue these efforts, the Justice Department said.
In his indictment in Seattle federal court, Schmidt faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of two felonies, including attempting to provide national defense information and retaining such information. There is a possibility that
He was then scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. He will be taken to Seattle for further court proceedings, the Justice Department said.
Mr. Schmidt’s last duty station was at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
He was a member of the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion, where he had access to information classified as “Top Secret” and “Top Secret,” the Justice Department said.
After leaving the military, Schmidt possessed equipment that gave him access to secure military networks and provided it to Chinese authorities, the ministry said.
He is also suspected of contacting and providing information to both the Chinese consulate in Turkey and Chinese security officials by email.
Matthew Olsen, the assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement: “Individuals entrusted with national defense intelligence have an ongoing obligation to protect that information beyond their government missions and certainly beyond their borders. I owe it.”
Tessa Gorman, assistant attorney for the Western District of Washington, said Schmidt violated his military oath “to protect our country and our Constitution.”
“In that context, this former military man’s alleged actions are shocking. He not only attempted to provide national defense information, but also provided information that would help a foreign adversary gain access to the Department of Defense’s secure computer networks.” “I’m trying to do that,” the prosecutor said.