Former US Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Leaking Secrets to China

The former sergeant moved to China and made multiple attempts to contact Chinese officials, the plea agreement says.
Former US Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Leaking Secrets to China
The United States Courthouse in Seattle on Feb. 6, 2025. Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images
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A former U.S. sergeant has pleaded guilty to retaining national defense information and attempting to give the information to China, acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said on June 18.

Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, who served in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in western Washington, is facing up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.