An American sailor has been convicted of attempted espionage after he shared classified information with a representative of a foreign government, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) announced.
NCIS noted that U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini was working with foreign agents, under the guise of writing a research paper — a tactic which military law enforcement claims is increasingly common.
Pedicini, who was assigned to a ship in Japan, reportedly began sharing classified information as early as November 2022. The sailor, who is originally from Tennessee, was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, at the time.
Pedicini was first detained in May 2023 after he attempted to share intelligence, including photographs of a classified computer screen, with a citizen and government employee of an unidentified foreign country. The Navy alleges that he shared information on at least six different occasions.
NCIS officials praised the guilty verdict, which came after Pedicini faced a seven-day trial in military court.
"This guilty verdict holds Mr. Pedicini to account for his betrayal of his country and fellow service members," NCIS Director Omar Lopez said in a statement.
"The American public should be confident knowing that NCIS will also not relent in our mission to deter, disrupt, and defeat the ongoing threat from foreign intelligence entities. Although the overwhelming majority of Department of the Navy service members are honorable and faithful public servants, NCIS stands ready to expose those who are not," he added.
In addition to the espionage charges, Pedicini was also convicted of failure to obey a lawful order and attempted violation of a lawful general order. He is expected to be sentenced on May 7.
