NEW YORK CITY – A man who conspired with people living in Iowa to smuggle guns to Lebanon was arrested this week as he attempted to flee the country and will be brought to Iowa to face federal charges.
Fadi Yassine, age 42, a Lebanese citizen, was arrested last evening as he disembarked an international flight arriving in New York City.
Yassine was arrested without incident on a warrant issued in the Northern District of Iowa on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Yassine purchased guns in Lebanon that had been acquired in the United States and shipped to Lebanon by Ali Herz, Adam Al-Herz, Bassem Herz, and Sarah Majid Zeaiter. Yassine also purportedly communicated via Facebook from Lebanon with Bassem Herz in the United States to provide direction concerning which firearms to purchase. The affidavit also states that Yassine gave $30,000 cash to Ali Herz in Lebanon to be used to acquire more guns in the United States.
The Herzs and Zeaiter were each sentenced to terms of imprisonment in 2016 following their pleas of guilty to conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act and other offenses.
Yassine made his initial appearance in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, this afternoon. Yassine waived further proceedings in New York and was ordered to be transferred to Cedar Rapids in the Northern District of Iowa by the United States Marshals Service. A court appearance will be scheduled upon Yassine’s arrival in Cedar Rapids.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The initial investigation led to the March 2015 seizure of 53 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition concealed inside Bobcat skid loaders packed inside a shipping container at the Norfolk, Virginia seaport. The container was destined for Lebanon. Subsequent investigation led to the May 2015 seizure of a second shipping container in Cedar Rapids, which was also destined for Lebanon. Ninety-nine guns and thousands more rounds of ammunition were found concealed inside Bobcat skid loaders packed inside the second container. Further investigation disclosed the group had previously sent two similar shipments to Lebanon in March and August 2014. Each of the containers had been loaded and shipped from Midamar Corporation in Cedar Rapids.
Evidence presented at the sentencing hearings showed the containers were destined for an area in southern Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah, a group designated by the United States as a terrorist organization. Among the guns shipped were more than 30 military style assault rifles. Other evidence presented in the case showed the guns could be sold in Hezbollah controlled southern Lebanon, where Ali Afif Al Herz maintains a residence, for as much as ten times their value in the United States. Photos of the residence and of some of the weapons and ammunition seized during the investigation are attached to this press release.
During sentencing, Chief Judge Reade found Al Herz was a leader and organizer of the criminal activity involving five or more participants and that “was otherwise extensive.” Judge Reade also noted there were several aggravating factors including that the offense involved numerous military style assault rifles, the defendant had sought to purchase fully automatic weapons, the number of guns involved, and the fact the guns were knowingly being shipped to an area of the world controlled by a terrorist organization.
Kevin W. Techau, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa stated, “These defendants were bold and brazen gun traffickers. They knew they were violating U.S. laws enacted to prevent smuggling to foreign countries. Stopping the illegal flow of weapons, weapons parts, and ammunition is a key priority for law enforcement.”
