US man 'smuggled jet parts to Venezuela'Saturday 07 Jun 2014 3:45p.m.
A US man has been convicted of selling military fighter jet parts to the Venezuelan Air Force.
The jury rendered its verdict against Ronald Dobek after a three-day trial, and the sentence will be determined at a hearing set for September 10.
Dobek, 39, was convicted on charges of conspiring to violate US export laws and exporting F-16 jet parts to Venezuela in violation of US law.
He faces up to 25 years in jail.
In December 2007 and December 2008, Dobek sent to Venezuela canopy seals for the jets, even though they are designated defence articles on the US Munitions List, and despite knowing of the US embargo restricting the sale of weapons and military materials to the Latin American country.
More:
http://www.3news.co.nz/US-man-smuggled-jet-parts-to-Venezuela/tabid/417/articleID/347539/Default.aspx
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Former Milwaukee Man Convicted in Federal Court of Exporting F-16 Military Parts to the Venezuelan Air Force
U.S. Attorney’s Office
June 06, 2014
Eastern District of Wisconsin
(414) 297-1700
United States Attorney James L. Santelle announced that following a three-day jury trial, Ronald A. Dobek (age 39), formerly of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was convicted yesterday of conspiring to export and exporting F-16 military parts to the Venezuelan Air Force (VAF) without a license or authority from the U.S. Department of State. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all three counts of the indictment that charged Dobek with conspiring to violate U.S. export laws and unlawfully exporting F-16 parts to Venezuela on December 29, 2007 and December 6, 2008. Dobek faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years. Sentencing for Dobek has been scheduled for September 10, 2014, before Honorable Rudolph T. Randa, United States District Judge.
In furtherance of its security and foreign policy interests, the United States, through the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), regulates and restricts the export of arms, munitions, implements of war, and defense articles, pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. § 2778. The regulations promulgated by the State Department that govern such exports are known as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. §§ 120-130. The ITAR contain a list of defense articles and defense services subject to control by these regulations known as the United States Munitions List (USML) and is found at 22 C.F.R. § 121.1. Defense articles are items and technical data “specifically designed, developed, configured, adapted, or modified for a military application.” 22 C.F.R. § 120.3. No defense articles or defense services may be exported or otherwise transferred from the United States to a foreign national or foreign country without a license from the DDTC.
On August 17, 2006, the United States Department of State announced that it would no longer authorize the export of defense articles and services to Venezuela. Additionally, the State Department revoked all existing licenses and authorizations to export defense articles and services to Venezuela. Thus, as of that date, it became illegal to export defense articles or services to Venezuela.
The evidence presented at trial showed that despite knowing about the U.S. embargo of Venezuela, Dobek conspired with a member of the VAF to supply the VAF with F-16 canopy seals for Venezuelan’s fleet of F-16 military jets. The evidence showed that Dobek exchanged numerous e-mails with a member of the VAF in which they discussed obtaining the F-16 canopy seals and the need to keep their operation secret. Dobek took other steps to conceal his illegal activity, including misidentifying the shipments as “t-molding” on shipping documents. As a result, Dobek sent shipments of F-16 canopy seals to a member of the VAF in Venezuela on or about December 29, 2007 and December 6, 2008.
More:
http://www.fbi.gov/milwaukee/press-releases/2014/former-milwaukee-man-convicted-in-federal-court-of-exporting-f-16-military-parts-to-the-venezuelan-air-force
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