Former JBLM soldier pleads guilty to attempting to share military secrets with China

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until October 2023, when he flew to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport.

Attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.    

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.