Joe Ali Youssef, Illicit Firearms Export, Louisiana 2014
LAFAYETTE, La. - In a brazen attempt to bypass U.S. laws, Joe Ali Youssef, a 54-year-old Broussard man, pleaded guilty to trying to illegally ship firearms, ammunition, and other military-grade items to Lebanon.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducted a random examination of two containers on April 17, 2014. Upon further inspection, agents found four pistols, two rifles, a shotgun, more than 8,000 rounds of various caliber ammunition, body armor, military items, and other firearms accessories hidden inside secret compartments within household furniture.
The records showed that the containers were to be shipped to an address near Beirut, Lebanon. Youssef, a naturalized citizen of the United States, originally born in Beirut, Lebanon, had an airline ticket booked to travel around the time the shipment was scheduled to arrive in Lebanon.
Youssef provided the shipping company with a detailed list of the contents of the containers to be shipped, but the list did not include the hidden firearms, ammo, and military items. The containers were set to export from the port in Houston, Texas, and the shipping company never received notification that the shipment contained firearms, ammunition, and military items.
Agents searched Youssef's Broussard home and found more firearms and ammunition as well as records between himself and the shipping company.
Youssef faces up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and forfeiture of the items seized during the investigation. A sentencing date was not set.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie is prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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