Rasheed Al Jijakli, 57, a Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen of Walnut, California, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of conspiring to export U.S.-origin tactical gear to Syria in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Syria Sanctions.
Jijakli’s guilty plea was accepted by United States District Judge James V. Selna of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
The guilty plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna of the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Paul D. Delacourt of the FBI’s Los Angeles Division, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Weir of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement Los Angeles Field Office.
In the factual basis filed as part of the plea agreement, Jijakli admitted that from April 2012 through March 2013, he conspired with other individuals to export tactical gear, including U.S.-origin laser boresighters, day and night vision rifle scopes, and other items (Tactical Gear) from the United States to Syria.
Jijakli was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 14, 2017. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 3, 2018.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Mark Takla of the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Christian Ford of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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