In yet another example of Chinese espionage, former Army Sgt. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, has pleaded guilty to a raft of charges for attempting to share classified military information with the CCP. As a soldier, he worked in military intelligence from 2015 to 2020; Schmidt accessed “Secret” and “Top Secret” data, which he transferred to Chinese military officers.
As background, after he left the army, he traveled to Turkey and Hong Kong to pass on the information directly to foreign agents. According to the charging documents, he was apprehended after searching for phrases like “soldier defect” and “can you be extradited for treason.”
Responding to the guilty plea, Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, harshly criticized the failed spy. He said, “This was not a lapse in judgment — this individual failed to uphold his oath to defend our nation and to protect the lives of those he served beside.”
Still not done slamming the traitor, he stated, “By attempting to provide classified information to China, he put our mission at risk and abandoned his fellow soldiers for personal gain. These actions threaten our national security.”
Building out the case, an official document from the Department of Justice shed additional light on the espionage. A press release revealed that”A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington pleaded guilty on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two federal felonies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. ”
Continuing, the Department of Justice wrote that “Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, pleaded guilty to attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. He faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on September 9, 2025.”
Thanking Kash Patel’s FBI for helping with the investigation, the DOJ revealed, “The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.”
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Adding more context, the document stated, “According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information, “adding, “After his separation from the military, Schmidt reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering national defense information.”
Revealing vital information, the document read, “In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He created multiple lengthy documents describing various “high-level secrets” he was offering to the Chinese government.”
Describing how the treason was facilitated, the DOJ reported, “He retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks.”
Concluding their account, the DOJ said, “Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until October 2023, when he flew to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport. Attempts to deliver national defense information and the retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.”