Major Export Enforcement Cases - Directorate of Defense Trade ...

China without first having obtained the required licenses. The cameras in question were
manufactured by L-3 Communications Infrared Products and were designated by the Commerce
Department as an export-controlled item that could not be exported to China for national security
and regional stability reasons. Ultimately Lian admitted making seven illegal exports of 300-D
thermal imaging cameras over a 31-month period. All told, he exported 63 cameras.
Ballistic Vests and Ammunition to Mexico – On April 23, 2012, Hector Ayala, former owner of
Uniforms of Texas, was arrested pursuant to an April 18, 2012 indictment in the Western District
of Texas charging him in connection with a scheme to smuggle ballistic vests and ammunition to
Mexico and to launder the proceeds. According to the indictment, from Sept. 2009 to Dec. 2011,
Ayala facilitated the smuggling of 300 high-capacity ammunition magazines and 800 ballistic
vests with ceramic plates from the United States to Mexico and conducted financial transactions
with proceeds from the sale of these items. This investigation was conducted by ICE and ATF.
Ammunition to Mexico – On April 10, 2012, Eagle Pass, Tex., residents Richard Hesles, Jr. and
Damien Hesles were arrested pursuant to an April 4, 2012 indictment in the Western District of
Texas charging them with smuggling more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition and hundreds of
firearms magazines to Mexico. According to the indictment, the ammunition smuggled by the
defendants was designed for various firearms, including AK-47 and AR-15 assault rifles, as well
as .50 caliber sniper rifles. The investigation was conducted by ICE and ATF.
Ammunition and Night Vision Devices to Mexico – On April 10, 2012, Enrique Gustavo
Gonzalez was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to 36 months in prison and two years
supervised release after pleading guilty on Sept. 8, 2010 to arms export violations. In June 2010,
officers with the Roma, TX, police department conducted a traffic stop of Gonzalez, where a
search of his car revealed 7,260 rounds of ammunition, military night vision goggles, military
night vision rifle scopes, infrared illuminators, as well as two .30-06 rifles – all of which are on
the U.S. Munitions List. Gonzalez later admitted he was taking the materials to a ranch along the
border, where the items would be crossed into Mexico. The investigation was conducted by ICE.
Arms to Colombian Terrorists to Kill Americans – On April 5, 2012, international arms dealer
Viktor Bout was sentenced in the Southern District of New York to 25 years in prison, five years
of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $15 million after being convicted on Nov. 2, 2011 of
conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals; conspiracy to kill U.S. officers and employees; conspiracy to
acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile; and conspiracy to provide material support to the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated terrorist organization. Bout was
first arrested on March 5, 2008 by Thai authorities in Bangkok, Thailand. On Nov. 17, 2010,
after more than two years of legal proceedings in Thailand, Bout was extradited from Thailand to
the United States to stand trial on the charges. According to court documents and evidence
introduced at trial, between November 2007 and March 2008, Bout agreed to sell to the FARC
millions of dollars’ worth of weapons – including 700 - 800 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), more
than 20,000 AK-47 firearms, 10 million rounds of ammunition, five tons of C-4 plastic
explosives, “ultralight” airplanes outfitted with grenade launchers, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Bout agreed to sell the weapons to two confidential sources working with the DEA (the “CSs”),
who represented that they were acquiring them for the FARC, with the specific understanding
that the weapons were to be used to attack U.S. helicopters in Colombia. During a covertly
recorded meeting in Thailand in 2008, Bout stated to the CSs that he could arrange to airdrop the
arms to the FARC in Colombia, and offered to sell two cargo planes to the FARC that could be
used for arms deliveries. Bout said that he understood that the CSs wanted the arms to use against
American personnel in Colombia, and advised that, “we have the same enemy,” referring to the
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