According to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), a former U.S. Navy chief petty officer has been handed an 18-year military prison sentence for attempted espionage and failing to obey orders. This case adds to a string of notable spying incidents involving Navy personnel, marking the most severe prison term among them.
Charges and Background
Chief Fire Controlman (Aegis) Bryce Steven Pedicini was charged in January with several counts of attempted espionage for mishandling or leaking classified information.
Involvement with Aegis Combat System
Pedicini, once part of a destroyer crew, was involved with the Aegis combat system, the Navy’s leading integrated radar and weapons control platform. This sophisticated technology is highly confidential and shared only with America’s closest allies. Advanced Aegis systems can intercept ballistic missiles in mid-flight, and Pedicini’s LinkedIn profile described him as a “ballistic missile computer technician.”
Espionage Activities
While assigned to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMAC) in Norfolk in 2022, Pedicini reportedly passed classified documents to a “foreign government employee and national” on seven occasions under the guise of writing “research papers” for a private party. According to NCIS, foreign adversaries often use “research paper” requests as a tactic to pay servicemembers for classified national defense information.
In 2023, Pedicini allegedly entered a secure information room aboard a Navy barge with a personal electronic device while serving on the destroyer USS Higgins in Yokosuka. He then purportedly attempted to transfer photographs of a high-security computer screen to a foreign government employee.
Arrest and Conviction
U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini, assigned previously to the USS Higgins (DDG 76), was sentenced yesterday at a general court-martial to 18 years in a military prison after being convicted attempted espionage.
According to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), a former U.S. Navy chief petty officer has been handed an 18-year military prison sentence for attempted espionage and failing to obey orders. This case adds to a string of notable spying incidents involving Navy personnel, marking the most severe prison term among them.
Charges and Background
Chief Fire Controlman (Aegis) Bryce Steven Pedicini was charged in January with several counts of attempted espionage for mishandling or leaking classified information.
Involvement with Aegis Combat System
Pedicini, once part of a destroyer crew, was involved with the Aegis combat system, the Navy’s leading integrated radar and weapons control platform. This sophisticated technology is highly confidential and shared only with America’s closest allies. Advanced Aegis systems can intercept ballistic missiles in mid-flight, and Pedicini’s LinkedIn profile described him as a “ballistic missile computer technician.”
Espionage Activities
While assigned to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMAC) in Norfolk in 2022, Pedicini reportedly passed classified documents to a “foreign government employee and national” on seven occasions under the guise of writing “research papers” for a private party. According to NCIS, foreign adversaries often use “research paper” requests as a tactic to pay servicemembers for classified national defense information.
In 2023, Pedicini allegedly entered a secure information room aboard a Navy barge with a personal electronic device while serving on the destroyer USS Higgins in Yokosuka. He then purportedly attempted to transfer photographs of a high-security computer screen to a foreign government employee.
Arrest and Conviction
U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini, assigned previously to the USS Higgins (DDG 76), was sentenced yesterday at a general court-martial to 18 years in a military prison after being convicted attempted espionage.
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— NCIS (@RealNCIS) May 30, 2024
Pedicini was arrested shortly after this incident and court-martialed in January 2024. Last month, he was found guilty of charges under Article 103a (Attempted Espionage), Article 92 (Failure to Obey a General Order), and Article 80 (Attempted Violation of a General Order). His sentence includes 18 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge, and a reduction in rank to E-1.
NCIS Statement
“This sentence holds Mr. Pedicini to account for his betrayal of his country and fellow service members,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez in a statement. “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.”
Pending Appeal
A fourth charge (communication of defense information) is still pending an appeal, but NCIS does not anticipate it will affect Pedicini’s sentence.
