US Navy Sailor Serving in Japan Found Guilty of Espionage
A US sailor who served in Japan was found guilty on Friday at a general court martial for attempted espionage.
According to a statement from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the sailor, Chief Petty Officer Bryce S. Pedicini, will be sentenced on May 7.
Pedicini was accused of 14 counts of espionage and the communication of defence information.
He failed to obey a lawful order by not reporting a foreign contact or that a foreigner had solicited classified information from him.
He was assigned to the Japan-based destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76).
He was taken into custody in May 2023 while serving on USS Higgins when he transferred classified information, including photos of a computer screen, to a foreign government.
Pedicini is from Tennessee, enlisted in the Navy in 2008, and served on 2 destroyers, USS McFaul for 7 years and USS Curtis Wilbur for over 5 years.
He was promoted to the rank of chief fire controlman in August 2022.
He received 3 Good Conduct Medals and the National Defense Service Medal.