Two Utah men are accused of trying to illegally export surplus pieces of F-14 fighter jets, a plane that is flown only in Iran. Abraham Trujillo, 61, and David Waye, 22, both of Ogden, are alleged to have tried exporting the parts to Canada, but the charges don't specify how they supposedly got the parts and don't list all buyers. Trujillo and Waye were charged Friday with three counts each of attempting to export a defense article without a license. Penalties can carry 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine per count.
The U.S. attorney's office says federal immigration agents discovered a Web site with listings of F-14 parts offered by Trujillo and his Ogden business, NSN Specialists. Over several months in 2006 and 2007, agents bought cable assemblies and other F-14 and F-4 jet items from Trujillo.
The U.S. sold the F-14 to Iran in the 1970s when it was under the rule of the Western-friendly shah. In 1979, the shah was deposed, and the U.S. eventually banned the sale of military equipment to Iran.
Iran, trying to maintain its F-14s, is aggressively seeking components from the retired U.S. Tomcat fleet. Members of Congress have expressed concerns about the Department of Defense selling surplus F-14 parts because they're worried they could wind up in Iranian aircraft. |