“This sentence is essential to reflect the gravity of the defendant’s offense,” prosecutors said in their sentencing memo, adding that Li’s actions undermined U.S. security interests.
Fla. IT Worker Gets 4 Years In Chinese Spying Case : Defense Reaction
Fernandez maintained that the outcome was fair but reiterated his belief that Li’s actions warranted a lighter sentence. “Mr. Li acknowledges that he provided information readily available on a simple Google search to a childhood friend that he knew worked for the intelligence arm of the People’s Republic of China,” Fernandez said. He expressed gratitude for the resolution and predicted Li would serve less than 48 months.
“Mr. Li is deeply remorseful for his conduct and looks forward to resuming his otherwise productive life,” Fernandez added.
Government’s Representation
The U.S. government was represented by Daniel J. Marcet, Karyna Valdes, and Jordan Howard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, along with Scott Claffee from the DOJ’s National Security Division.
