Department of Defense emblem is seen forward of a press convention on the Pentagon in Washington D.C., United States on August 15, 2023.
Celal Gunes | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — A former U.S. Army sergeant was arrested on Friday for allegedly trying to present classified nationwide safety information to China, the Department of Justice stated.
Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, was taken into custody at a San Francisco airport after he arrived there from China, the DOJ stated.
Schmidt allegedly initiated efforts to present Chinese intelligence with U.S. protection information after separating from the navy in January 2020, the division stated.
He left the U.S. for Hong Kong in March 2020, and stayed there till this week, to proceed these efforts, in accordance to the DOJ.
Schmidt faces up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 superb if convicted of the 2 felony counts he faces in an indictment in Seattle federal court docket: try to ship nationwide protection information, and retention of such information.
He was scheduled to seem in U.S. District Court in San Francisco later. He will probably be introduced to Seattle for additional court docket, in accordance to the DOJ.
Schmidt’s final responsibility publish was at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
He was a part of the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion, the place he had entry to information classified “Secret” and “Top Secret,” the DOJ stated.
After leaving his service, Schmidt retained a tool to permit entry to safe navy networks and provided it to Chinese authorities, in accordance to the division.
He is also accused of reaching out to each the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and the Chinese safety providers through electronic mail to provide the information.
“Individuals entrusted with nationwide protection information have a seamless responsibility to defend that information past their authorities service and definitely past our borders,” stated Matthew Olsen, assistant Attorney General for National Security, in a press release.
Tessa Gorman, the appearing U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, stated Schmidt broke his navy oath “to defend our nation and the Constitution,” Gorman stated.
“In that context, the alleged actions of this former navy member are surprising – not solely trying to present nationwide protection information but additionally information that will help a international adversary to achieve entry to Department of Defense safe pc networks,” the prosecutor stated.