A former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of selling ship manuals to an intelligence officer working for China has been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison.

Jinchao Wei sold thousands of documents and dozens of manuals about U.S. military ships, officials said.

A former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of espionage by a federal jury in August has been sentenced to nearly 16 months in prison, according to authorities.

The sailor, Jinchao "Patrick" Wei, hoped to gain employment with the Chinese government by passing secret US Navy manuals.

The USS Essex, right, and USS Abraham Lincoln at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickham, Aug. 4, 2022. (MC3 Donita Burks/Navy) A former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of selling technical and operating manuals ...

A former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of selling technical and operating manuals for ships and operating systems to an intelligence officer working for China was sentenced Monday to more than 16 years ...