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

Firearms to Mexico – On Jan. 6, 2010, Daniel Bernardino was convicted in the Northern District
of Texas on firearms and ammunition smuggling charges in connection with a nationwide
investigation of the violent drug cartel, La Familia, and its efforts to smuggle firearms to Mexico
in order to arm their personnel there. Seven individuals from the Fort Worth, TX, area were
originally indicted along with Bernardino on firearms smuggling and related charges. They
include Alberto Pulido, Juan Ramirez, Javier Rosales, Jesus Ortega, Gustavo Pulido, and Eduardo
Flores. Although Alberto Pulido remains a fugitive, the other defendants have pleaded guilty for
their roles in the conspiracy. Bernardino arrested on Oct. 21, 2009. In December 2008, he and
others were stopped north of the Texas border in a caravan of vehicles, one of which contained 33
firearms and 9,000 rounds of ammunition. On May 3, 2010, Defendants Ortega, Bernardino, and
Gustavo Pulido were all sentenced. Defendant Ortega was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment,
Defendant Bernardino was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment. Defendant Pulido was
sentenced to 48 months imprisonment. On April 5, 2010, Defendants Lozano, Flores and Ramirez
were all sentenced. Defendant Lozano was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment. Defendant
Flores was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment. Defendant Ramirez was sentenced to 120
months imprisonment. This investigation was conducted by ATF and DEA.
Firearms to Canada – On Dec. 18, 2009, Ugur Yildiz, a former suburban Chicago gun shop
owner, was sentenced in the Northern District of Illinois to 7½ years in prison for illegally
exporting more than 200 firearms to Canada -- some of which were later used in violent crimes in
Canada. Yildiz, of Park Ridge, Illinois, owned the Chicagoland Bells gun store. He was arrested
and charged with violations of the Arms Export Control Act in a criminal complaint on June 19,
2009. According to court documents filed in the case, since 2006, Canadian law enforcement
recovered 25 firearms in Canada that were registered to Yildiz, and all but one of these guns were
recovered during the execution of search warrants in connection with investigations of drug and
violent crimes. Two guns registered to Yildiz were traced to attempted homicides in Canada,
according to court documents, including a .45 caliber Glock recovered on Sept. 22, 2006 pursuant
to a shooting in Toronto. This case was investigated by ICE, ATF and DEA.
Restricted Components to Iran – On Dec. 17, 2009, James Larrison, of Avondale, AZ, pleaded
guilty in the District of Delaware to a one-count criminal information charging him with violating
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. From August 2008, through February 2009,
Larrison attempted to illegally export from the United States to Iran Hitachi JU-Z2 Junction Units
(camera control box, 8-port multiple television camera control delegation switch). The charges
result from an investigation launched after the seizure in October 2007 of a laptop computer from
convicted Iranian procurement agent Amir Hossein Ardebili. Larrison was sentenced to probation
on June 23, 2011 after providing substantial assistance to the government in its investigation of
his former employer Aegis Electronic Group Inc, which entered into a deferred prosecution
agreement with the government and paid a fine to the Treasury Department. This case was
investigated by ICE.
Military Electronics for Radar, Fighter Jets, and Missiles to Iran -- On Dec. 2, 2009, criminal
indictments were unsealed in the Districts of Delaware and Massachusetts relating to the
prosecution of Iranian arms procurement agent Amir Hossein Ardebili. Defendant Ardebili pled
guilty to these indictments on May 19, 2008. Ardebili pleaded guilty to multiple violations of the
Arms Export Control Act, International Emergency Economic Powers Act, smuggling,
conspiracy and money laundering. The charges result from a three year international undercover
investigation which exposed Ardebili’s role as a prolific arms acquisitions agent for the
government of Iran. During the investigation, Ardebili negotiated the purchase and illegal export
of a number of military components, including: QRS-11 Gyro Chip Sensors, which are used in
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