The Chinese citizen was sentenced to eight years for allegedly violating state secret laws . The Colorado ambassador to China has called for his release on humanitarian parole . Xue was working in China as a leading geologist for the Colorado-based IHS Consulting firm , a global provider of energy-related information , Rowley said , and the information Xue was privy to did not include state secrets . Xue Feng was working in U.S. as a geologist for a U.S. -based consulting firm .
The Chinese citizen was sentenced to eight years for allegedly violating state secret laws . The Colorado ambassador to China has called for his release on humanitarian parole . Xue Feng was working in U.S. as a geologist for a U.S. -based consulting firm .