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SoCal man pleads guilty to attempting to ship sensors to Iran
| Wednesday, May 10 2006 7:15 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 10 2006 7:15 PM
A computer technician has pleaded guilty in a plot to ship to Iran more than 100 pressure sensors that could be used as components in explosive devices, authorities said Wednesday.
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Mohammad Fazeli, 27, entered his guilty plea Monday to one count of violating a U.S. embargo prohibiting trade with Iran, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop one count each of conspiracy and making false statements.
Fazeli, who remains free on $50,000 bond, faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced Aug. 7.
In an indictment unsealed in March, prosecutors alleged Fazeli, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent, ordered 103 Honeywell sensors from an electronics company in St. Paul, Minn., in September 2004. Working with an associate based in Iran, Fazeli tried to ship the sensors to an address in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, authorities said.
Prosecutors believe the ultimate destination was Iran. However, the devices never left the United States.
The sensors are built to detect the pressure of liquid or gas, but authorities were concerned they could be used to detonate explosive devices.