News Releases and Statements

Justin Gage Jangraw, 34, of Rockford, Mich., entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Richard John Medina, aka "El Guero," 40, of Laredo, appeared before U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana, who accepted his guilty plea and handed Medina a 93-month prison sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

Dmitry Ustinov, 48, of Moscow, pleaded guilty in the District of Delaware federal court to conspiring to export the high-tech military technology, in violation of federal law.

"This guy had more quotes than Shakespeare," said John Malandra, retired group supervisor with ICE's HSI. But instead of poetic verses, a man using the alias of Alex Dave wanted quotes for how much it would cost to buy sensitive military technologies. In reality, Alex Dave was Amir Ardebili, an Iranian arms dealer.

Carlo Lee Reyes, aka El Raton, 41, of San Antonio, was sentenced to 240 months for aiding the attempted exportation of a firearm from the United States and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Reyes' prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release and he must pay a $5,000 fine.

Robert Jacaman Sr., 60, former owner of Jacaman Guns and Ammo, was sentenced June 24 by visiting U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Jacaman, who pleaded guilty in January, was further ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. As a convicted felon, Jacaman surrendered his federal firearms license, is no longer a firearms dealer and is prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and destructive devices.

Eliyahu Cohen, aka Eli Cohen, 63, of Bnei Brak, Israel, was arrested May 12 on federal felony charges of conspiracy to export U.S. defense articles, unlawful export of U.S. defense articles and conspiracy to commit money laundering. This matter stems from a long-term investigation into a network of military parts purchasers and brokers involved in an alleged conspiracy to export controlled military parts from the United States in violation of U.S. federal criminal law. If convicted of all of the counts of the superseding indictment in which he is charged, Cohen faces a maximum term of 130 years in prison and a fine of up to $7.5 million.

Bruce Schliemann, 50, of Virginia Beach, previously waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents.

Indicted were Ahmad Feras Diri, 39, of London; Harold Rinko, 72, of Hallstead, Susquehanna County, Pa., and Moawea Deri, 36, a Syrian citizen, and a firm with which Ahmad Feras Diri and Moawea Deri were associated.

Sihai Cheng, a citizen of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and Seyed Abolfazl Shahab Jamili an Iranian national, were indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia following an international investigation by the FBI, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Department of Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement.

Arturo Gonzalez, 42, owner of J.C. Twiss El Canonazo sporting apparel and firearm accessories stores in Laredo, appeared before US District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Gonzalez to 63 months in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.

Reza Khalilzada, an 18-year-old man who stored a machine gun, gun components, nun chucks, CS gas and a host of other weaponry at his family home, was sentenced to six years in prison Friday.

Rafael Cabrera-Mesa, of Reading, Pa., was sentenced March 12 to five years in prison for shipping a Remington Model 760 Gamemaster .30 06 rifle and ammunition in foreign commerce and use of false identification, following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Gregorio Rodriguez-Aranda, 25, and Maria Luisa Sanchez-Lopez, 24, appeared before U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez Feb. 13. Judge Alvarez sentenced Rodriguez and Sanchez to 57 and 46 months imprisonment, respectively.

See Kee Chin, aka Alfred Chin, 56, of Hong Kong, made inquiries to a U.S. company through a Canadian intermediary about purchasing highly specialized accelerometers used in spacecraft navigation systems.

Jesus Cardenas, 23, and Luis Cardenas, 34, both of New Braunfels, Texas, were found guilty after a three-day trial for attempting to smuggle ammunition and magazines into Mexico.

Hassan Rafiee and Idin Rafiee, both of San Diego, and Majid Nouri, of Katy, Texas, were arraigned on an indictment unsealed in district court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Alexandre Astakhov, 28, is scheduled to be sentenced May 13. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison.

Robert Jacaman Sr. 60, owner of Jacaman Guns and Ammo, as a convicted felon, surrendered his federal firearms license. He is no longer a firearms dealer and is prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and destructive devices.

Richard Hesles Jr, 34, and Damien Hesles, 24, of Eagle Pass, Texas, appeared before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses who sentenced the brothers Jan. 28. Richard was sentenced to 10 years; his brother Damien was sentenced to nine years and two months. Aside from their sentences, Judge Moses ordered Richard to pay a $7,500 fine.

Nares Lekhakul, 36, a US lawful permanent resident living in Bellevue, will serve 24 months in prison and his brother Naris Lekhakul, 42, will serve 36 months.

Roman Georgiyevich Kvinikadze, a citizen of Russia, was sentenced Friday to almost five months in federal prison (time served) for conspiracy to illegally export military-grade thermal imaging scopes to his home country.

On Sept. 26, jury found Mark Mason Alexander, aka Musa Mahmood Ahmed, 53, of Roswell, guilty of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Nader Modanlo, aka Nader Modanlou, aka Nader Modanlu, 53, was also ordered to forfeit $10 million.