Former U.S. Marine Sentenced for Smuggling Semi-automatic Weapons for Export to China
A former U.S. Marine and Staff Sergeant in a U.S. Special Forces National Guard Unit was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for smuggling weapons for export to China, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York. In violation of the Arms Export Control Act, Joseph Debose of North Carolina shipped semi-automatic handguns, rifles and shotguns to co-conspirators, who in turn transported them to be shipped to Chinese customers. The U.S. Attorney’s office said Debose is one of four individuals convicted of weapons trafficking and export offenses in connection with this case.
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Authorities learned of the arms smuggling in August 2011, when counter-smuggling officers in China seized a package containing firearms with defaced serial numbers that had been shipped from Queens, N.Y. U.S. law enforcement officials traveled to China to inspect the evidence after learning of the package seizure. The weapons seized by the Chinese authorities have been included on the U.S. Munitions List and may not be exported without a license from the State Department. Agents determined through forensic evidence that one of the weapons had been purchased in North Carolina and traced it back to Debose. Agents found that Debose had also filed a false police report saying that the weapons had been stolen from his garage. Debose was arrested in a sting operation when he arrived at a meeting location with a truck full of guns for the next shipment, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
“Through his service in the U.S. Marine Corps and National Guard, the defendant swore an oath to this country and its people, and was decorated,” said U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch. “He then traded the honor which won him medals for the easy money of illegal arms sales.”