International Arms Smuggler Sentenced To X Years In Prison

PHILADELPHIA – Siarhei Baltutski, a/k/a  Sergey Boltutskiy, 41, of Minsk, Belarus, was sentenced today to XX months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act, conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Baltutski pleaded guilty on January 25, 2013.  In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond ordered ...           

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, Acting Assistant Attorney General John Carlin of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman, of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent-in-Charge John P. Kelleghan of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations.             

Between January 1, 2008 and September 21, 2011, Baltutski organized a network of buyers in the United States to obtain and illegally export to Belarus high-tech military hardware such as Scorpion Thermal Weapon Sights, ThOR 2 Thermal Imaging Scopes, Thermal-Eye Renegade 320's, and other night vision targeting devices.  During the course of the conspiracy, Baltutski and his associates illegally exported hundreds of such items.  Baltutski then arranged for hundreds of thousands of dollars to be secretly wired, via offshore shell companies, to purchase these items, pay for shipping, and pay his network of buyers.         

“The Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Power Act prohibit the export of high tech military technology which is critical to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States,” said Memeger.  “Keeping this important technology out of the hands of current and potential adversaries is critical to our national interest and the safety and success of our service members in combat today.” “Today’s sentence sends a strong message that the justice system will seriously punish those who threaten our national interests through this type of criminal activity.”

“HSI is committed to protecting Americans and our allies from greedy profiteers exporting sensitive technology,” said Kelleghan. “When sensitive military components get into the wrong hands, our national security and our troops’ lives are seriously threatened.”

“The FBI places a high priority on preventing advanced technology from getting to those who might use it to harm American troops or U.S. interests,” said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Edward J. Hanko. “In this case, one man’s greed potentially put untold numbers of Americans at risk.”           

This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Livermore, Trial Attorney Jerome Maiatico with the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division. 

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