U.S. prosecutors are charging a former guard at a U.S. consulate in China with attempting to communicate national defense information to Chinese officials.

Bryan Underwood has been indicted for trying to pass on photographs and other sensitive information to representatives of the Chinese government between March and August of this year. The Associated Press reports Justice Department officials say during that period Underwood was a contract guard at a consulate under construction in Guangzhou in southern China.

Court documents released Wednesday say prosecutors accuse Underwood of writing a letter to Chinese officials expressing an interest in “initiating a business arrangement” and of lying to the FBI agents in Hong Kong about the purpose of the letter. He is also charged with failing to appear for pretrial on September 21 in Washington D.C.

Underwood was arrested Saturday in Los Angeles.

If convicted, the 31-year-old could face life in prison. His lawyer has not yet made a statement.