Ex-Army sergeant pleads guilty to trying to share U.S. secrets with China

A former U.S. Army sergeant stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington state has pleaded guilty to attempting to provide classified military information to Chinese intelligence, according to federal prosecutors.

Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two felony charges: attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. He faces up to ten years in prison on each count when sentenced on September 9.

Schmidt served on active duty from January 2015 to January 2020, assigned to the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion at JBLM. During his service, he held access to secret and top secret materials. After leaving the Army, he began efforts to pass that information to China, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors said Schmidt first contacted the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later reached out to Chinese security services via email.

In March 2020, he traveled to Hong Kong and created multiple documents detailing classified information he offered to Chinese intelligence, including what he described as “high level secrets.” He also retained a device used to access secure military networks and offered it to Chinese authorities.

Schmidt lived primarily in Hong Kong until October 2023, when he returned to the United States and was arrested upon arrival at San Francisco International Airport. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.