Ali Afif Al Herz Gets 342 Months for Gun Smuggling to Hezbollah

Ali Afif Al Herz, 51, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is headed to federal prison for 342 months after pleading guilty to orchestrating a sprawling gun smuggling operation that shipped hundreds of firearms to Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon. The sentence, handed down today by Chief Judge Linda R. Reade in the Northern District of Iowa, marks the latest conviction in a case that exposed a sophisticated smuggling network using industrial equipment to hide weapons destined for a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

Al Herz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to deal in firearms without a license and to illegally ship firearms in interstate and foreign commerce; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act. He also admitted to possessing firearms after a prior conviction for domestic violence, a detail that underscored the brazenness of his criminal conduct. Evidence presented during sentencing showed Al Herz was not just a participant but a leader and organizer of a criminal enterprise involving five or more people, with operations spanning multiple states and international borders.

The scheme unraveled in early 2015 after a firearms dealer flagged suspicious purchases. Federal agents intercepted a shipping container at the Norfolk, Virginia seaport containing 53 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition hidden inside Bobcat skid loaders. That container was bound for Lebanon. A second container, seized in May 2015 from Midamar Corporation in Cedar Rapids, held 99 more firearms and additional ammunition—also concealed in skid loaders. Investigators found the group had successfully shipped two prior containers to Lebanon in 2014, all routed through the same Cedar Rapids facility.

Prosecutors proved the weapons were destined for an area in southern Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah. Among the arsenal were more than 30 military-style assault rifles—high-demand weapons that could fetch up to ten times their U.S. market value in the war-torn region. Photos introduced in court showed Al Herz’s residence in southern Lebanon, along with images of seized weapons and ammunition, linking him directly to the end destination of the illicit arms.

Al Herz’s son, Adam Al Herz, was sentenced on October 13, 2016, to 240 months in prison. His sister-in-law, Sarah Majid Zeaiter, received an 87-month sentence on October 14, 2016, and was ordered to forfeit $33,869 seized from her apartment above the Pizza Daddy restaurant in Cedar Rapids. All three defendants were jointly and severally ordered to pay more than $48,000 in restitution and to forfeit any interest in seized firearms, ammunition, and Bobcat skid loaders.

Bassem Afif Herz, another key figure in the operation, faced sentencing hearings on October 13 and 14, 2016, with his final sentencing scheduled for November 7, 2016. The investigation, led by federal authorities, exposed a deeply coordinated effort to exploit commercial shipping channels for arms trafficking. Chief Judge Reade cited aggravating factors including the volume and type of weapons, Al Herz’s leadership role, and the direct link to terrorism—delivering a sentence that reflects the gravity of arming enemies of the United States.