hief Fire Controlman (Aegis) Bryce Steven Pedicini, a U.S. Navy sailor currently assigned to the Japan-based destroyer Higgins, has been charged with espionage and related criminal offenses. Allegations against Pedicini include the delivery of classified national defense information to a foreign government’s citizen and employee on multiple occasions between November 2022 and May 2023. The charge sheet, obtained by Navy Times, does not specify the foreign nation involved but outlines eight counts of espionage alongside other security violations.
Pedicini’s alleged activities spanned from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Yokosuka, Japan, where he is accused of delivering similar classified information seven additional times, with the most recent incident reported on May 17, 2023. Following these events, Pedicini was placed in pre-trial confinement on May 19. The charges also encompass wrongful transportation and processing of classified material, failure to report foreign contacts, and unauthorized possession of a personal electronic device in a secure area.
Expanded Coverage:
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2024/02/21/navy-chief-charged-with-espionage/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68366569
