A former U.S. Army soldier who fled to Hong Kong has been charged with trying to deliver classified secrets to the Chinese government, according to U.S. federal court documents unsealed Friday.
Joseph D. Schmidt, 29, who served in a military intelligence battalion in Washington state, was indicted in Seattle on two counts of violating the Espionage Act. He was arrested this week after flying from Hong Kong to San Francisco and appeared in federal court Friday. Each count carries up to 10 years in prison.
Prosecutors accused Schmidt of trying to help the Chinese government after he finished active duty with the Army in January 2020. While Schmidt was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, south of Tacoma, Washington, he supported the Indo-Pacific Command, which includes China, giving him access to sensitive materials.