Navy Sailor Facing Espionage Accusations

(RepublicanPress.org) – According to Statista, there were over 340,000 active duty members in the US Navy in 2022, marking the second-highest member force in the United States behind the Army. These people put their lives on the line to protect America, concentrating their efforts on the high seas. However, bad actors can even be found among those who pledge years of service to America.

On February 21, CBS News reported that US Navy Chief Fire Controlman Bryce Pedicini was charged with espionage. The military member was based in Japan, and the US government believes he gave classified information to someone working for a foreign government — at least seven times. The federal government alleges that Pedicini handed over the sensitive documents between November 2022 and February 2023 in Virginia.

U.S. Navy petty officer based in Japan charged with espionage https://t.co/7VR9pxY12u

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 23, 2024

In addition, the charging documents seen by CBS News reportedly stated that the sailor tried to give screenshot photos of classified information to someone in Yokosuka, Japan. The charge sheet reportedly said Pedicini knew the information would harm the US and aid a “foreign nation.” However, the documents did not specify the country. The Navy Times reported that the chief was assigned to work on the USS Higgins — a Japanese-based destroyer. According to his Naval records, he has been in confinement since May 2023, pending trial.

In addition to the alleged classified documents and photograph incidents, Pedicini is also facing charges of wrongly transporting classified material using a non-approved system to relay such information. Prosecutors also said he failed to report that a foreign contact asked him for “classified information.”

The Navy Times stated the sailor enlisted in the Navy in 2008, advancing to his current rank in 2022. He’s been on the destroyer since April and was stationed in Virginia during his alleged crimes. USNI News reported that a US Naval Surface Force spokesperson released a statement saying the “incident remains under investigation and legal proceedings continue.”