Beijing ? An American geologist detained and tortured by China’s state security agents over an oil industry database was jailed for eight years today in a troubling example of China’s rough justice system and the way the U.S. government handles cases against its citizens.

Beijing’s No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court convicted Xue Feng of collecting intelligence and illegally providing state secrets.

Xue’s lawyer Tong Wei described the sentence as “very heavy.” Xue was also fined $30,000.

Jon Huntsman, U.S. ambassador to China, was inside the court. He did not speak after the verdict, but the U.S. Embassy in Beijing released a statement saying it was “dismayed” and urged China to grant Xue “humanitarian release and immediately deport him.”