U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Reinhard Rusli, age 35, and Helmi Soedirdja, age 33,both citizens of Indonesia, today to a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release for attempting to illegally export night vision devices and money laundering, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. In pronouncing sentence, Judge Blake departed downward, finding among other things, that Rusli and Soedirdja played minor roles in the scheme, had provided assistance to authorities, and were not likely to engage in further illegal conduct . Both defendants will be deported from the U.S. after they complete their sentences.
According to the plea agreements, the defendants contacted undercover agents to acquire monocular night vision and holographic weapons sight devices which they represented would be used by the Indonesian military. On August 31, 2006 the defendants transmitted $2,950 from Indonesia to the United States to obtain a monocular night vision device and holographic weapons sight, which contain military technology that cannot be exported without a license or written authorization from the State Department. The defendants arrived in Guam from Indonesia on September 21, 2006, and subsequently met with undercover agents to examine the night vision devices. They also discussed the future acquisition of additional military use technology items. Satisfied with the night vision device and holographic weapons sight, Rusli and Soedirdja placed the items in their luggage and traveled to the airport in Guam to return to Indonesia. They were detained at the airport by ICE agents and the devices were recovered from their luggage.
Co-defendant Haji Subandi, age 70, a citizen of the Republic of Indonesia, pleaded guilty on March 8, 2007 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for attempted exportation of arms and munitions. Judge Blake has scheduled Subandi’s sentencing for June 15, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Baltimore City Police Department. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and Harry Gruber, who are prosecuting the case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Harvey Eisenberg, Chief of the office’s National Security Section, who is supervising the case.