Ex-Sgt. Schmidt Sentenced to Four Years for Spying for China

Seattle – A former U.S. Army Sergeant, Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, has been sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for attempting to deliver national defense information to China, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd.

Schmidt, who served at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) before his discharge, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to charges of attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. His sentencing hearing was based on the seriousness of his crime and his mental state during the time of the offense, said U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour.

“As a retired Army officer, I find it unconscionable for a former soldier to put his colleagues and country at risk,” Floyd stated. “Our office remains committed to keeping our country safe from those who would betray such trust.”

W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, echoed Floyd’s sentiments: “Instead of upholding the trust placed in him, Schmidt betrayed it by handing over classified information to China. The FBI will remain vigilant in its mission to safeguard our nation.”

According to records, Schmidt served from January 2015 to January 2020, with primary assignment at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. After discharge, he contacted the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later Chinese security services via email, offering national defense information.

In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong to continue his espionage efforts, creating documents detailing various classified secrets and offering a device for accessing secure military computer networks. He was arrested upon returning to San Francisco in October 2023. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg noted Schmidt’s web searches on “Can you be extradited for treason,” indicating his awareness of the gravity of his actions.