Taiwanese shipper pleads missile parts exports

Taiwanese shipper pleads missile parts exports    Taiwanese exporter Yi-Lan 'Kevin' Chen and his company Landstar Tech Co. Ltd. pled guilty in a federal court at Miami on Thursday to charges of conspiring to illegally ship dual-use U.S.-made commodities to Iran.
   Chen pled guilty to all three counts and Landstar Tech pled guilty to count 1 of the information. Count 1 charges conspiracy to export commodities from the United States to Iran, an embargoed destination. Counts 2 and 3 charge attempts to export to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
   On the conspiracy count, Chen faces a maximum 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, and Landstar Tech faces a maximum fine of $1 million.
   According to the charges, Chen communicated and coordinated from his Taiwan office with co-conspirators in the United States, Iran, Hong Kong and elsewhere to facilitate attempts to export dual-use goods, or items with both commercial and military applications, from the United States to Iran. These items included 120 circular hermetic connectors and 8,500 glass to metal seals.
   Chen made arrangements with an undercover federal agent to have those items hand-delivered to him in Guam. Chen then planned to transport the items back to Taiwan and then on to his customers in Iran. He also received payment for the purchase and shipment of these items from his Iranian buyers, the U.S. Justice Department said.
   Chen's sentencing is scheduled for July 30.