A former Army sergeant last assigned at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington with a military intelligence unit with access to top secret documents was arrested Friday on charges of attempting to deliver national defense information to China, the U.S. Justice Department announced.

Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, was taken into custody by federal agents at San Francisco International Airport as he arrived on a commercial flight from Hong Kong.

The arrest is based on an indictment issued Oct. 3 by a federal grand jury in Seattle. It charges two felonies: Attempting to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. Each charge carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Schmidt was stationed at Lewis-McChord from January 2015 to January 2020, according to FBI reports filed in the case. His primary assignment was the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to “secret” and “top secret” information.

After Schmidt’s separation from the military in early 2020, he allegedly tried to contact the Chinese consulate in Turkey, according to the FBI report. He later tried to contact Chinese security services directly via email and offered national defense information to them.

In the indictment, the FBI provided examples of emails sent to the Chinese from Schmidt.

“My name is Joe Schmidt. I am a United States citizen looking to move to China. I currently reside in Istanbul and am trying to set up an appointment at the consulate in Istanbul,” Schmidt wrote to the Chinese consulate, according to federal officials.

Schmidt traveled in March 2020 to Hong Kong, where he continued efforts to provide Chinese intelligence services with classified documents obtained while he was serving at Lewis-McChord.

The FBI investigation said Schmidt retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to the Chinese to gain access to internal Defense Department networks.

Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until Friday when he flew to San Francisco.

The remainder of the "High Level Secrets" document discussed SCHMIDT's training and experience in HUMINT collection; the functions and capabilities of U.S. HUMINT collectors; the curriculum and substance of various Army HUMINT training courses; and tradecraft used by U.S. HUMINT collectors, including information regarding surveillance detection routes, casing for meeting locations, source assessment, and operational testing....

This affidavit is intended to show merely that there is probable cause for the requested warrant and does not set forth all of my knowledge about this matter.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-jblm-soldier-pleads-guilty-attempting-shar...

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


Wednesday, June 18, 2025

For Immediate Release
Office of Public Affairs



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.

Interesting.  Does anyone know how he got caught?

Did the Chinese consulate in Turkey notify the U.S. authorities?

Did he give the Chinese is Army SIPR token (which is useless without access to the classified SIPRNet terminals)?

Could the Chinese possibly have ratted him out (would they really do that)?

Based on the information provided in the news articles, it seems like Schmidt would be difficult to catch unless he did something blatantly stupid.