Federal prosecutors in Nebraska have brought charges against a 21-year-old Chinese national after authorities said he photographed military aircraft at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha from a public road without prior approval. According to a Justice Department announcement Thursday, Tianrui Liang was arrested April 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Investigators alleged he had documented aircraft at Offutt and had also been near Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota during the same trip.
The Associated Press reported Liang was en route to Glasgow, Scotland, where he attends college, when he was taken into custody. He entered the U.S. legally via Canada on a valid B1/B2 visa on March 28, the Justice Department said.
“Any individuals who unlawfully attempt to acquire sensitive information about military aircraft located in the District of Nebraska will be held maximumly accountable under federal law,” U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods said.
Liang has been charged by complaint and has not been convicted at this time. According to the AP, the FBI alleged he admitted taking photos of an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and an E-4B, an Air Force airborne command post.
If convicted on the current charge, the Justice Department said the Chinese student faces up to one year in prison, although investigators are continuing to examine whether additional charges are warranted.
Offutt officials said the individual did not enter the installation. In a statement reported by local outlets, the base said it was aware of the arrest, but that Liang “did not gain access to Offutt Air Force Base,” and that it is cooperating with the FBI.
Court filings cited by local reporting said Liang’s travel through the U.S. also included plans involving other military aircraft locations, though federal authorities have not announced any additional charges tied to those stops.
