April 25, 2007

ICE investigation results in conviction for illegal exportation of defense technology
Pennsylvania corporation illegally sold night vision components to company in India

PITTSBURGH, PA - An investigation launched by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has led to the conviction of Electro-Glass Products, a corporation located in Norvelt, Pennsylvania, for the unlawful exportation of defense articles.

Special agents assigned to the Pittsburgh ICE office found that between May 2003 and August 2004, Electro-Glass Products sold and exported a total of 23,000 solder glass preforms to a company in India. The preforms are components of military night vision equipment. Federal law requires a license from the State Department to export the preforms, but Electro-Glass Products did not have such a license.

"One of ICE's top enforcement priorities is preventing groups or nations from illegally obtaining unauthorized defense products and sensitive technology," said Richard Boronyak resident agent in charge of ICE's Office of Investigations in Pittsburgh. "Clearly, this conviction would not have been possible without the hard work of our ICE agents and close coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Western District of Pennsylvania."

On April 5, 2006, a Federal Grand Jury in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania handed down a four-count indictment charging Electro-Glass Products with violating Title 22 of the United States Code. The indictment charges that Electro-Glass Products did knowingly and willfully export defense articles designated on the United States Munitions List without obtaining the required license to export said articles.

The jury decision was reached on April 19th, 2007, in the courtroom of Chief United States District Judge Donetta Ambrose, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 5 years probation, a fine of $1 million or both. Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2007.

ICE's Counter Proliferation Investigations (CPI) Unit is responsible for investigating the illegal export of U.S. military products and sensitive technology. During fiscal year 2006, ICE's CPI investigations resulted in 144 arrests, 124 indictments and 93 convictions.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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