Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., 65, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly providing combat aircraft training to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force without authorization, the Department of Justice announced. Brown, known by the call sign “Runner,” is charged under the Arms Export Control Act for offering defense services to a foreign military without the required State Department license. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Thursday in the Southern District of Indiana.

According to federal prosecutors, beginning in August 2023, Brown conspired with foreign nationals and U.S. persons to provide training to Chinese military pilots in violation of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The complaint states Brown coordinated arrangements through intermediaries, including Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national previously convicted in the United States for hacking U.S. defense contractors and stealing sensitive military data for China.

Authorities allege Brown traveled to China in December 2023, remaining there until returning to the United States in early February 2026. Officials said the case reflects broader efforts to prevent China from recruiting current and former Western military personnel to enhance its defense capabilities.

“The United States Air Force trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our Nation,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “When U.S. persons provide training to a foreign military, that activity is illegal unless they have a license from the State Department.”

Brown retired from the Air Force in 1996 after more than 24 years of service. During his career, he flew and instructed on multiple aircraft, including the F-4, F-15, F-16, and A-10, and later worked as a contract simulator instructor on the F-35 Lightning II.

If convicted, Brown could face substantial penalties under federal export control laws. The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.