The US government is investigating whether the Chinese citizen arrested after allegedly flying a drone over California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base and committing other violations.
Last week, the U.S. attorney’s office for the central district of California announced that 39-year-old Yinpiao Zhou, a lawful permanent resident of the US, “was charged with failure to register an aircraft not providing transportation and violation of national defense airspace.”
But court records show that “the government continues to investigate whether ZHOU is guilty of additional, more serious violations.”
A Chinese national flag is pictured during the medal ceremony for the women’s 63kg judo event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on September 25, 2023. (PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)
Although Zhou has not been accused of espionage on behalf of China, in an affidavit justifying the arrest warrant, the FBI agent who led the investigation into Zhou described their own experiences, noting: “I am familiar with the craftsmanship and techniques used by foreign hostile nations and the efforts these nations undertake to gather intelligence on elements of military infrastructure of interest to them.”
Zhou was arrested on December 9 before boarding a flight to China, the press release about the arrest said.
“This defendant allegedly flew a drone over a military base and took photographs of the base’s layout, in violation of the law,” noted U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
TRUMP LEAVES CHINA IN COUNCIL WHAT IS HIS NEXT MOVE WITH UNUSUAL INAUGURATION INVITATION
The Department of Justice seal is seen on a lectern prior to a press conference announcing efforts against computer hacking and racketeering at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on November 28, 2018. (MANDEL EN/AFP via Getty Images)
The release, citing an affidavit, said a drone was detected over the facility on Nov. 30.
“The drone systems detected that the drone flew for almost an hour, traveled to an altitude of almost a mile above ground level and originated from Ocean Park, a public area adjacent to the base,” the press release said. “The base security personnel went to the park, spoke to Zhou and another person accompanying him, and discovered that Zhou had hidden a drone in his jacket – the same one that flew over the base.
Agents later searched Zhou’s drone pursuant to a federal search warrant and observed several photos of the Vandenberg Space Force Base taken from an aerial view. A search of Zhou’s cell phone revealed that Zhou had conducted a Google search about a month earlier executed to the phrase ‘Vandenberg Space Force Base’ and messaged someone about hacking his drone so it could fly higher than would otherwise be possible.”
Nighttime sightings of unidentified aircraft in New Jersey and other parts of the country have made national headlines, but Americans remain searching for answers.
SCHUMER REQUESTS 360-DEGREE RADAR SYSTEM FOR NY, NJ TO DETECT DRONES
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks with Politico Magazine Senior Writer Ankush Khardori during Politico’s annual AI and Tech Summit on September 17, 2024 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” that some sightings were drones, but others were “manned aircraft that are often mistaken for drones.” He said that “we are not aware of any foreign involvement” regarding “the sightings in the northeast.”
Fox News’ Lee Ross contributed to this report.
