A Chinese scientist accused of smuggling a dangerous crop pathogen into the United States has pleaded guilty and will be deported after serving a five-month jail sentence.
A 'Very Strange' Case in Michigan
Yunqing Jian, a 33-year-old temporary researcher at a University of Michigan laboratory, entered her plea on Wednesday. US District Judge Susan DeClercq, who described the situation as a 'very strange' case involving an 'incredibly accomplished researcher', sentenced her to time already served in custody.
Jian was arrested in June and faced charges of conspiring with her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, to study a toxic fungus, Fusarium graminearum, at a campus lab. This pathogen is known to attack vital crops including wheat, barley, maize, and rice.
The Scheme and Its Discovery
The investigation revealed that Jian had asked a colleague in China to send samples of the biological material hidden inside a book in 2024. This package was successfully intercepted by US agents before it reached her.
In a related incident, Zunyong Liu was caught carrying small samples of the pathogen upon arriving at Detroit airport the same year. While Liu was also charged, he remains in China and is unlikely to face prosecution in the US.
Both Jian and Liu had previously specialised in studying Fusarium graminearum in China. Although this fungus is already found in US fields, it is illegal to bring it into the country without a government permit. The University of Michigan, where Jian worked, held no such permits.
Conflicting Views on Intent and Risk
During the proceedings, Assistant US Attorney Michael Martin stated there was potential for 'devastating harm', though he provided no specific details. He told the judge, 'I don't have evidence that she had evil intent... But I don't have evidence that she was doing this for the betterment of mankind either.'
In contrast, evidence presented for the defence painted a different picture. Roger Innes, an expert from Indiana University who reviewed the case for Jian's attorneys, concluded there was 'no risk to US farmers, or anyone else' and no intent to create a more dangerous strain. He suggested Liu likely wanted to use a unique microscope available at the Michigan lab.
Despite the prosecution's request for a two-year prison term—far exceeding the sentencing guidelines—Judge DeClercq settled on the five months Jian had already spent in custody.
Appearing in court with chains around her ankles and waist, Jian offered a brief apology. She relied primarily on a letter submitted to the court, in which she wrote, 'I did not follow the rules because I was under pressure to proceed with research and produce results. The research was not to harm anyone, but instead to find ways to protect crops from disease.'
As part of a plea agreement, the conspiracy charge against Jian was dropped. She pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of smuggling and making false statements to investigators. She will now be released and quickly deported from the United States.
