Chinese national Qilin Wu was arrested and charged on Jan. 7 with illegally photographing a “vital military installation” in Johnson County, Missouri. Federal Magistrate Judge Lajuana Counts on Jan. 12 heard arguments about keeping Wu in detention and granted the government’s request for pretrial detention over concerns Wu is a flight risk.
According to court documents, Wu entered the country illegally on or around June 22, 2023, near Nogales, Arizona, and was released because U.S. Border Patrol lacked detention space to hold him. He was set to have an immigration hearing on Jan. 6. Wu has been in custody since Dec. 3, 2025.
Whiteman Air Force Base
U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price announced the charges on Jan. 7, alleging Wu took photographs of “a vital military installation and military equipment without authorization.”…
Chinese Illegal Immigrant Charged With Photographing Military Base
