Hytera Communications Corp. admitted to recruiting and hiring former Motorola Solutions employees and directing them to steal digital mobile radio technology.

Chinese telecommunications company Hytera Communications has pleaded guilty in Illinois federal court to stealing Motorola Solutions trade secrets covering digital mobile radio technology, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago said on Tuesday.

The telecommunications company could face a fine of up to $60 million for stealing walkie talkie-related trade secrets.

Hytera could pay a fine of up to $60 million at sentencing in November. The Shenzhen, China-based company was previously ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in a lawsuit Motorola Solutions filed for stealing trade secrets.