Court Sentences Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini to 18 Years for Attempted Espionage | Military.com
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| Bryce Pedicini |
Summary
According to charging documents, Pedicini smuggled photos of a computer screen designed for classified information to a foreign official in Yokosuka, Japan, in May 2023. He was also accused of sharing documents with an employee of a foreign government in Hampton Roads, VA, between November 2022 and February 2023.
Pedicini, who joined the Navy in 2008 and was promoted to chief in August 2022, faced additional charges of failing to report foreign contacts and solicitation of classified information, taking a personal device into a secure room, and transporting classified information. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service stated that this sentencing holds Pedicini accountable for betraying his country and fellow service members.
Navy sailor sentenced to 18 years in prison over espionage charges
A U.S. sailor was dishonorably discharged and sentenced to 18 years in a military prison Thursday after being found guilty of espionage while working for the Navy in Japan.
Bryce Pedicini, a former chief petty officer fire controlman, was convicted of attempted espionage, failure to obey a general order and attempted violation of a general order through a court-martial procedure. He was assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins in Japan when he was taken into pretrial confinement last year.
According to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Pedicini delivered classified and national defense information for a foreign government official from November 2022 to May 2023. He engaged with the foreign official "under the guise of writing research papers," it said. The Navy described that as a tactic U.S. adversaries increasingly use to obtain both classified and unclassified document.
NCIS Director Omar Lopez said the sentence holds Pedicini accountable for the betrayal of both his country and his fellow service members.
"The criminal act by this lone individual should not diminish the incredible sacrifices made by our service members and their families on a daily basis to protect our nation," Lopez said.
Charging documents indicated Pedicini was accused of smuggling photos of a computer screen designed for classified information to a foreign official while he was in Yokosuka, Japan, last May. The nature of the documents is not known. The Navy has said he had reason to believe the exchange could harm the U.S.
Pedicini served on multiple naval ships and received awards throughout his career, which began in 2009.
Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.
Former Navy chief sentenced to 18 years on attempted espionage charges
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A former Navy chief convicted of attempted espionage last month was sentenced to 18 years in a military prison Wednesday, officials confirmed.
Former Chief Fire Controlman (Aegis) Bryce Steven Pedicini was found guilty last month of attempted espionage, failure to obey a lawful order, and attempted violation of a lawful general order charge specifications, following a weeklong, judge-only general court-martial, the Navy said.
In addition to prison time, Pedicini, formerly assigned to the Japan-based destroyer Higgins, was also given a dishonorable discharge and reduction in rank to E-1, according to the Navy.
Dating back to November 2022, Pedicini shared national defense and classified information with a representative from a foreign government that he had reason to believe could be damaging to the U.S. and beneficial to the foreign nation, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service said in a statement at the time of Pedicini’s conviction.
He shared this information “under the guise” of writing research papers, NCIS said. The agency did not say which foreign government received these documents from Pedicini.
While the chief was initially charged with espionage, the trial judge opted to convict him of the lesser offense of attempted espionage, according to officials, who declined to provide further details, citing the classified aspects of the proceedings.
NCIS detained Pedicini on May 19, 2023, and he has been in pre-trial confinement since. His Navy-appointed defense attorney has not responded to requests for comment.
The Navy said it had no records of a sailor being charged for espionage under the Uniform Code of Military Justice in at least the past five years, although other sailors have been charged and convicted in the federal system for similar crimes.
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Japan-Based Chief Petty Officer Charged with Espionage - USNI News
A sailor assigned to a guided-missile destroyer based in Japan has
been charged with espionage and communicating defense information to a
foreign citizen, according to the charge sheet obtained by USNI News on Wednesday
Chief Petty Officer Fire Controlman Bryce Pedicini, assigned to the Japan-based destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76), was set to face a general court-martial this week, Navy officials said.
“A sailor assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) is suspected of mishandling classified documents and information. The incident remains under investigation and legal proceedings continue,” reads a statement from a U.S. Naval Surface Force spokesperson.
The Navy is accusing Pedicini of smuggling classified information from secure spaces and giving them to an employee of an unspecified foreign government between late November 2022 to February 2023 in Hampton Roads, Va. The type of information Pedicini is accused of sharing was unclear from the charging documents, which also allege that he attempted to pass on photos, including those of a computer screen designated to handle secret information, to a foreign national while in Yokosuka, Japan.
Based on the charging documents, Pedicini was arrested shortly after the attempted espionage incident in Japan. According to the charging documents, Pedicni has been in pre-trial confinement since May 19, or for more than nine months.
The charges were referred for a general court-martial on Jan. 18, with the U.S. Naval Surface Force as the convening authority.
According to the Navy’s trial docket, Pedicini was set to have a hearing on Wednesday in San Diego. His Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a civilian arraignment, has already occurred. Pedicini’s attorneys were not immediately available when USNI News attempted to contact them through a Navy public affairs officer.
In addition to espionage and communicating defense information charges, Pedicini faces charges of failing to report foreign contacts to his chain of command, failing to report solicitation of classified information, taking a personal device into a secure room and transporting classified information.
According to his Navy bio, Pedicini joined the Navy in early 2008 and served on destroyers starting in mid-2009. He served aboard USS McFaul (DDG-74) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) before reporting to Higgins in April.
Originally from Tennessee, Pedicini was promoted to chief on Aug. 16, 2022.
Espionage Allegations:
Nov. 22, 2022: In Hampton Roads, Va., Pedicini allegedly gave a document called “article 1112” to an employee of a foreign government.
Dec. 3, 2022: In Hampton Roads, Va., he allegedly gave a document called “Article 1112 add on 2” to an employee of a foreign government
Dec. 2022: In Hampton Roads, Va., he allegedly gave a document called “article 1112 add on 3” to an employee of a foreign government
Jan. 2023: In Hampton Roads, Va., he allegedly gave a document called“article 1223” to an employee of a foreign government
Jan. 2023: In Hampton Roads, Va., he allegedly gave a document called “article 1223 add on 1” to an employee of a foreign government
Feb. 5, 2023: In Hampton Roads, Va., he allegedly gave a document called “article 1223 add on 2” to an employee of a foreign government
Feb. 19, 2023: In Hampton Roads, Va., he allegedly gave a document called “article 1223 updates” to an employee of a foreign government
May 8 to 17, 2023: In Yokosuka, Japan, Pedicini allegedly attempted to communicate information relating to national defense photographs that included images of a computer screen with secret information.
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