Ex-JBLM sergeant sentenced for attempting to provide classified military information to China

A former Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) sergeant was sentenced Tuesday for attempting to deliver national security information to China.

Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for two federal felonies, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

In June, Schmidt pleaded guilty to attempting to deliver national defense information and to retaining national defense information.

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour noted the sentence given was based on the seriousness of the crimes and Schmidt’s mental health at the time.

Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020, where his primary assignment was at JBLM. While in this role, Schmidt had access to “secret” and “top secret” information.

After Schmidt left the military due to a mental health episode, he contacted the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and Chinese security services by email, offering national defense information.

U.S. Sergeant attempts to meet with Chinese officials in Hong Kong

Schmidt later traveled to Hong Kong in March 2020, continuing his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified military information. Several lengthy documents were created by Schmidt, revealing various “high-level secrets” he had to offer to the Chinese government.

“As a retired Army officer, I find it unconscionable for a former soldier to put his colleagues and country at risk by peddling secret information and intelligence access to a hostile foreign power,” U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said. “These cases remain a priority for our office to keep our country safe.”

Schmidt kept a device that allowed access to secure military computer networks, which was offered to Chinese authorities along with his assistance in gaining access to the networks.

Seventeen days after Schmidt made contact with Chinese officials, he was granted a work visa for China.

Schmidt stayed in China, spending most of his time in Hong Kong until October 2023, when he flew to San Francisco. Schmidt was arrested after he arrived at the airport.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg spoke in court Tuesday, claiming Schmidt “created documents based on classified and national defense information. He used his training to provide sensitive information to the Chinese security service. He knew what he was doing was wrong – he was doing web searches for such things as ‘Can you be extradited for treason.'”

The Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, W. Mike Harrington, stated that Schmidt betrayed his country’s trust by providing sensitive information to China.

“As a soldier, Mr. Schmidt swore an oath to protect the United States and its citizens who, in turn, entrusted him with their security and the secrets necessary to defend it,” Herrington said. “Instead of upholding that trust, he betrayed it by handing over classified information to China, as his admissions make clear. The FBI and our partners will remain vigilant in our mission to safeguard our nation, making every effort to uncover those who endanger it and hold them accountable.”

The FBI led the investigation in the case, with assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.

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