Thai Man Sentenced to Prison For Conspiracy to Violate Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations, Involving Significant Amounts of Gun Parts

           WASHINGTON - Kitibordee Yindeear-Rom, 28, a native and citizen of Thailand, was sentenced today to three years in prison for taking part in a conspiracy involving the purchase and shipment of hundreds of gun parts from the United States to Thailand without a license.

           The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C.

           Yindeear-Rom pled guilty in November 2014, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 36 months of incarceration. The Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer accepted the plea today and sentenced the defendant accordingly.

            According to the evidence presented at the plea hearing, beginning at least in or about July 2010, Yindeear-Rom entered into an agreement with at least one other individual to ship United States origin goods, including defense articles - specifically gun parts - to Thailand.  As part of their agreement, Yindeear-Rom purchased gun parts from United States manufacturers through on-line purchases, and directed the purchased items to be sent to at least one other individual in the United States to conceal the ultimate destination of the purchases.

            Upon receipt of the gun parts, the items would be repackaged for shipment to Thailand.  Extending through at least October 2013 as part of the conspiracy, Yindeear-Rom caused to be purchased and shipped hundreds of different gun parts from the United States to Thailand without a license.  These gun parts included, for example, magazines, gun barrels, night vision scopes, and all manner of gun replacement parts for a variety of handguns, rifles, and shotguns.  These defense articles had a retail value in excess of $66,000.    

           As part of the plea agreement, Yindeear-Rom agreed to his removal from the United States and the forfeiture of $66,000.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Settles commended the efforts of the Special Agents who investigated the case for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Opher Shweiki, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zia Faruqui, who assisted with forfeiture aspects of the investigation.

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