Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Photographing Air Force Base and Vital Military Equipment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Chinese national pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for unlawfully photographing a vital military installation and military equipment without authorization.

Qilin Wu, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill A. Morris to one count of taking photographs of a vital military installation and military equipment without authorization.

According to court documents, on Dec. 2, 2025, the Whiteman Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) investigated a report of a suspicious minivan near the perimeter of the military installation. Air Force patrolmen were dispatched to the area to investigate, and encountered Wu, who stated that he was there to observe the B-2 Spirit aircraft. The patrolmen informed Wu that he was not permitted to take photographs or make video recordings of the military installation.

AFOSI was notified the following day that the same minivan was identified at a perimeter fence of Whiteman Air Force Base. Whiteman Air Force agents went to the area to investigate and again contacted Wu. Wu admitted to taking videos of the B-2 Spirit aircraft and numerous photographs of Whiteman's perimeter fencing, a gate, and military equipment. Wu showed investigators his phone, including images of Whiteman Air Force Base and military equipment that Wu had recorded. In total, investigators observed 18 images and videos that Wu admitted he had taken of the installation and of military equipment. Wu also admitted to photographing another U.S. Air Force base and its military aircraft.

According to court documents, Wu is a Chinese national who illegally entered the United States on June 22, 2023, near Nogales, Az. At that time, Wu was arrested by immigration authorities for illegally being present in the United States. Due to a lack of detention space, Wu was released on his own recognizance to await immigration removal proceedings originally scheduled for Feb. 9, 2027. On Dec. 3, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) re-arrested Wu.

Under federal statutes, Wu is subject to a sentence of up to one year in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes; any sentence would be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Air Force's Security Forces, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.