A U.S. Navy sailor stationed in Japan has been charged with espionage for allegedly providing classified information to an employee of a foreign government.
Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini, a fire control man, is accused of passing documents to a foreign employee on multiple occasions between November 2022 and February 2023 in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Additionally, in May 2023 in Yokosuka, Japan, Pedicini allegedly attempted to provide photographs showing the screen of a computer connected to the military’s classified network.
U.S. Navy Officer (Credits: Fox News)
The charge sheet specifies that he did so believing the information would be used to the detriment of the United States and to the benefit of a foreign nation relating to national defense.
The exact nature of the documents and the foreign nation involved are not specified in the charges. Pedicini is also accused of failing to report a foreign contact and of soliciting classified information from an unauthorized person.
The Navy confirmed that Pedicini, assigned to the USS Higgins, is under investigation, and legal proceedings are ongoing. His service record indicates that he enlisted in 2009 and has served on several destroyers, achieving the rank of chief in 2022.
Espionage charges are among the most serious offenses in the military, carrying significant penalties upon conviction. The case underscores the strict security protocols surrounding classified information and the severe consequences for violations, particularly involving foreign governments.
