A sailor from the U.S. Navy has been given an 18-year prison sentence for espionage, according to federal officials who made the announcement on Thursday.
Former Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini faced allegations of sharing classified national defense information with a foreign government official during his tenure in the U.S. Navy while stationed in Japan. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service found him guilty of attempted espionage and failure to comply with a lawful order.
He was serving on the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins in Japan when he was arrested last year.
The Navy handed Pedicini a dishonorable discharge in addition to his prison term.
According to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Pedicini allegedly conveyed classified and national defense information to a foreign government official from November 2022 to May 2023.
The Navy disclosed that Pedicini had shared the documents during his tenure in Japan, but did not mention the specific country to which he had released them.
According to the Navy, the foreign official was approached by the service “under the guise of writing research papers.” The Navy has observed that this method is becoming more prevalent among U.S. adversaries as a means to acquire both classified and unclassified documents.
According to NCIS Director Omar Lopez, it is important not to view this incident as indicative of any security issues with classified information in the United States. Lopez emphasized that Pedicini’s sentencing serves as a way to hold him responsible for betraying both his country and his fellow service members.
Lopez emphasized that the exceptional dedication of our service members and their families to safeguard our nation should not be overshadowed by the criminal actions of this lone individual.
Pedicini faced allegations of smuggling photographs of a computer specifically designed for classified information to a foreign official during his time in Yokosuka, Japan, last spring. This information is based on the charging documents.
The Navy did not reveal the specific content of the documents, but officials mentioned that Pedecini had valid concerns about the potential harm that their release could cause to the United States.
According to previous statements, the Navy stated that Pedecini had interacted with a foreign government representative by presenting himself as a researcher working on research papers. However, the Navy did not disclose the specific country to which he allegedly released the documents.
During his career, Pedicini served on various naval ships and received numerous awards. He enlisted in the Navy in 2009.
