Chinese Researcher Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Crop Fungus — Will Be Deported After Time Served

DETROIT — Researcher pleads guilty to smuggling biological material, faces prompt deportation

Yunqing Jian, a 33-year-old temporary researcher who worked in a University of Michigan laboratory, pleaded guilty Wednesday to unlawfully importing biological material and making false statements to investigators. A judge ordered her release after she served roughly five months in custody and said she will be promptly deported.

The case drew unusual attention from the bench; the presiding judge described it as a "very strange" matter involving an "incredibly accomplished researcher." Prosecutors said the biological material involved samples of Fusarium graminearum, a fungus that can attack wheat, barley, maize and rice, and argued that importing it without a government permit could pose a serious risk.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Martin warned of the possibility of "devastating harm" but acknowledged uncertainty about Jian's motives. "I don't have evidence that she had evil intent," he told the court. "But I don't have evidence that she was doing this for the betterment of mankind either."

"I did not follow the rules because I was under pressure to proceed with research and produce results," Jian wrote in a letter filed with the court. "The research was not to harm anyone, but instead to find ways to protect crops from disease."

According to court records, Jian was arrested in June after prosecutors alleged she and a boyfriend conspired to study and tend to the fungus in a campus lab. Prosecutors say Zunyong Liu was intercepted carrying small samples when he arrived at a Detroit airport in 2024. Jian admitted she had asked a colleague in China to send biological material concealed inside a book; that shipment was intercepted by U.S. agents.

Defense experts retained by Jian's lawyers argued the samples posed no risk to U.S. agriculture and that there was no sign of intent to create a more virulent strain. Roger Innes, an Indiana University scientist who reviewed evidence for the defense, said there was "no risk to U.S. farmers, or anyone else" and suggested Liu may have sought access to specialized equipment at the lab.

Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence, but U.S. District Judge Susan DeClercq imposed a five-month term, which matched the time Jian had already served. As part of a plea agreement, a conspiracy count was dropped in exchange for guilty pleas to smuggling and making false statements. Liu remains in China and is not expected to return to face charges in the U.S.

Why it matters

The case highlights tensions between international scientific collaboration and U.S. biosecurity rules. While some scientists argue such research can help protect crops, federal law requires permits and containment for importing pathogens. The case underscores the legal risks researchers face when moving biological material across borders without the required approvals.