The U.S. Department of Justice is pursuing charges against a Chinese national who they say took unauthorized photographs of Whiteman Air Force Base.

The Western District of Missouri’s complaint made public Wednesday, Jan. 7 accuses 35-year-old Wu Qilin of taking photographs of the base outside Knob Noster last month after twice being told by security personnel to not film the base. According to the DOJ, the base’s Office of Special Investigations identified a van with Massachusetts plates parked near the perimeter of the base Dec. 2. Patrolmen say they approached Wu, who told them he was there to observe the B-2 Spirit aircraft, and advised him that he was not allowed to take photos or video of the base. The van was spotted again a day later near the fence, where investigators say Wu admitted to having filmed the B-2 bomber as well as the base’s fencing, gate, and military equipment.

According to court documents, Wu had been released after he was initially detained at the Mexican border in June 2023, arrested on a charge of illegally entering the U.S. Wu has since been re-arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He could face a year in federal prison if convicted of the unlawful photographing charge.