DOJ alleges he violated the Arms Export Control Act.
The Department of Justice announced that former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot, Gerald Eddie Brown Jr.,—known by the call sign “Runner”—was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA).
The complaint alleges the former military officer traveled to China in December 2023 to begin training activities—without obtaining the required license from the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls—and remained there until returning to the United States in early 2026.
“The United States Air Force trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our Nation. He now stands charged with training Chinese military pilots,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg.
“Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience flying U.S. military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and prosecuted by the DOJ’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg as he oversees the prosecution of the case against the former military pilot.
- For Assistant Director Rozhavsky as he facilitates the counterintelligence and espionage investigations.
- For agency leaders within the Departments of Justice and Defense as they address national security concerns.
- For former and current members of the U.S. armed forces to be prudent in their actions and decisions.
Sources: Department of Justice
