An active-duty U.S. army sergeant has been charged with repeatedly selling sensitive military and national defense secrets to co-conspirators working on behalf of China, according to newly unsealed court records.

Jian Zhao, a battery supply sergeant stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington state, is alleged by federal prosecutors to have communicated with an unnamed co-conspirator from July to December of last year in order to sell an encrypted military computer and 20 classified hard drives.

Zhao is charged with conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information as well as bribery and theft of government property.

In addition to Zhao’s arrest, federal prosecutors in Oregon have also charged another active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed at the same base who they allege shared sensitive information related to the military’s weapons systems with a former soldier, according to a press release from the Justice Department.

Li Tian allegedly shared documents that related to Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier. Both were taken into custody on Thursday and charged with conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property, according to the DOJ.

“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”

In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said, “These individuals have been charged with stealing America’s defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China in betrayal of our country. They will now face American justice.”

In the alleged scheme involving the sale of the encrypted computer, prosecutors said Zhao was paid $1,000 and told his co-conspirator, “It’s for two functions. It’s for encryption slot or for hard drive. It’s very rare now. Hard to find. If you can guarantee both of our safety while making some money for both of us, sell it. It’s the end of the year.”

Zhao also allegedly engaged in talks with two buyers from China, including his original co-conspirator, to sell them classified hard drives.

According to prosecutors, red stickers on the hard drives indicated they contained secret-level information while yellow or orange stickers indicated they contain top-secret level information.

In these images from court documents, prosecutors say Zhao snapped pictures of military documents and also negotiated with buyers to sell military hard drives.

(U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington)

“I have many computer hard drives,” Zhao allegedly said to his co-conspirator. “It may not be possible to check the contents of the hard drives. Tomorrow I will check how many are left. Do you understand unclassified and secret?”

According to prosecutors, Zhao was paid at least $7,500 for selling multiple hard drives to the buyers, and in October offered additional classified hard drives.

Also in October, prosecutors said Zhao sold sensitive military documents that he had photographed at his base, which he offered at a starting price of $3,000 to $4,000 each.

Ultimately, his co-conspirator agreed to a sale of $6,500 for two documents.

Court documents include surveillance photos of Zhao taking photos of documents at his desk with a smartphone at the same time prosecutors alleged he was communicating with his associate.

In a memo asking a judge to detain Zhao before trial, prosecutors detail Zhao’s ties to China and his communications in which he has “repeatedly” said he wants to move back to the country, telling one person he offered sensitive intelligence to, “Damn it” “I really want to go back to China.”

Prosecutors called Zhao’s alleged conduct “particularly reprehensible – selling information vital to the national security for thousands of dollars” and said it demonstrates Zhao is a flight risk and should be detained.

Prosecutors said they believe Zhao maintains a warehouse that they have been unable to locate and has also taken other sensitive information but do not yet know where that information is or to whom it was sent.