A former U.S. Army sergeant who served at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington has pleaded guilty to federal charges after admitting he tried to deliver sensitive military secrets to Chinese authorities.
Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Seattle, acknowledging two felonies: attempting to deliver national defense information and unlawful retention of such information.
Schmidt, who served from January 2015 to January 2020 with the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion at JBLM, held access to classified materials, including SECRET and TOP SECRET information.
As a team leader in the battalion’s human intelligence (HUMINT) section, he was responsible for supervising intelligence collection and analysis in support of the Army’s Indo-Pacific Command, a region that includes China.
According to court documents, after leaving the Army in early 2020, Schmidt began efforts to contact Chinese officials. He first reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey via email, offering national defense information.
He later contacted Chinese security services directly, continuing his attempts to share classified U.S. military data.
In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong, where he created and offered multiple documents described as containing “high-level secrets” to Chinese intelligence.
He also retained a device capable of accessing secure U.S. military computer networks and offered this device to Chinese authorities, potentially providing a pathway into sensitive Department of Defense systems.
Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, for more than two years. During this time, he continued his efforts to provide classified materials to Chinese officials.
His tradecraft, however, was described as amateurish; investigators noted he used email accounts registered in his own name and conducted web searches on topics such as countries without U.S. extradition treaties and technical details about Chinese consulates.
In October 2023, Schmidt returned to the United States, arriving at San Francisco International Airport, where he was promptly arrested by federal authorities.
The FBI led the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
Schmidt now faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on September 9, 2025.
Federal officials emphasized the gravity of the case. “Individuals entrusted with national defense information have a continuing duty to protect that information beyond their government service and certainly beyond our borders,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg, with support from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about insider threats and the targeting of U.S. military personnel by foreign intelligence services.
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