Washington ( CNN ) -- A civilian guard at a new U.S. consulate in China pleaded guilty on Thursday to attempting to sell Chinese security officials photographs and access to the compound so they could plant listening devices . According to a court proffer , Bryan Underwood had lost a significant amount of money in the stock market and hoped to make between $ 3 million and $ 5 million by supplying classified photos and information to China 's Ministry of State Security . Underwood , 32 , appeared in federal court in Washington and pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to communicate national defense information to a foreign government . Under the terms of a plea agreement , the government agreed to drop charges that Underwood made false statements and that he failed to appear at a court hearing last year . In the court proffer signed by Underwood , he admitted writing a letter last year addressed to the Chinese Ministry of State Security . `` I know I have information and skills that would be beneficial to your offices ( sic ) goals , '' Underwood wrote . `` And I know your office can assist me in my financial endeavors . '' Underwood tried to deliver the letter to China 's Ministry of State Security ( MSS ) but a guard turned him away and would not accept the letter . According to court documents , Underwood then `` left the letter in the open in his apartment hoping that the MSS would find it . He believed the MSS routinely conducted searches of apartments occupied by Americans . '' Prosecutors said that Underwood 's job was to protect the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou -- not to make it vulnerable to Chinese counterintelligence . According to a news release quoting prosecutors , `` The U.S. government has found no evidence that Underwood succeeded in passing classified information concerning the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou to anyone at the Chinese MSS . '' Officials said there is no evidence suggesting the Chinese ever tried to recruit him for espionage . In May of 2011 Underwood took 30 photographs in restricted areas . Prosecutors said 15 of those `` depict areas and/or information that are classified at the SECRET level . '' He drew a diagram showing the locations of security cameras at the compound and created a schematic listing all security upgrades to the building site . The proffer also said Underwood `` mentally '' came up with a plan in which Chinese agents could get into the compound undetected for approximately six hours to `` install listening devices or other technical penetrations . '' In addition to working as a guard at the consulate in February 2011 Underwood was asked by a U.S. law enforcement agent to help on a counter-surveillance project . Underwood was to tell the American agent about `` any suspected attempts by the Chinese Government to recruit him for intelligence purposes . '' Underwood later came up with the idea to use his role helping law enforcement as a `` cover '' for contacting the Chinese . According to court documents , Underwood 's stock brokerage account dropped from almost $ 69,000 in February 2011 to a negative sum of more than $ 89,000 in April 2011 . His account was frozen and he `` became panicked about his financial situation , '' according to the court papers . Underwood was interviewed by law enforcement several times and finally admitted he was trying to sell information to the Chinese for financial gain . He was arrested September 1 , 2011 . Underwood failed to show up for a court appearance in Washington later in the month . The FBI caught up with him a few days later at a Los Angeles hotel , arrested him again and he 's been in jail ever since . `` Bryan Underwood was determined to make millions by selling secret photos of restricted areas inside a U.S. Consulate in China , '' said U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen . `` His greed drove him to exploit his access to America 's secrets to line his own pockets . '' Underwood appeared in federal court wearing an orange jail jumpsuit . He answered questions asked by U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle in a calm , clear voice . When asked about any history of psychological problems , Underwood said he takes medication for anxiety and depression . Underwood is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19 . The plea agreement recommends a sentence of at least 15 and a half years up to almost 20 years . Huvelle is not bound by the recommendation and could sentence Underwood to up to life in prison . From the archives : Chinese general discusses spies . Report : Russia and China are top thieves of U.S. technology .
Bryan Underwood had lost thousands in the stock market , prosecutors say . He wrote a letter offering ` ` money and skills '' to a Chinese ministry . ` ` I hope your office can help me in my financial problems , '' said the letter . Underwood pleads guilty to conspiracy to obtain national defense information .