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Man Caught At Pensacola Airport Sentenced For Plan To Smuggle Generator To Iran
December 18, 2020
A citizen of the United Kingdom that was arrested at the Pensacola airport has been sentenced for a plan to smuggle a turbine motor to Iran.
Colin Fisher, a citizen of the United Kingdom, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison on charges related to his attempt to export power generating equipment to Iran. He was also fined $5,000.
Fisher was arrested by federal agents earlier this year when he arrived at the Pensacola airport from the United Arab Emirates in order to complete the illegal transaction and obtain equipment for a buyer in Iran.
Fisher pled guilty in September to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and attempted smuggling. Between 2017 and the time of his arrest in August, Fisher, 45, worked to violate the Iranian embargo by attempting to export a Solar Mars 90 S turbine core engine and parts from the United States for delivery to an end user in Iran. This included participating in fraudulent invoicing and using coded language with conspirators to communicate about the illegal transactions. Despite these efforts, law enforcement authorities discovered the plan and were able to seize the turbine before its transatlantic journey to the end user, a conspirator in Iran who is linked to an Iranian energy company. The turbine, which was valued at half a million dollars, could have been used to provide energy to the oil fields of Iran.
“The Iranian embargo is directly related to the national security of the United States, and by attempting to evade that embargo Fisher and his fellow conspirators placed this nation directly at risk,” U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe said. “It’s appalling to think that someone would place personal financial gain above the safety of the nation, but this case shows we will pursue and punish those who try.”
When Fisher was arrested on August 7, 2020, he had arrived at the Pensacola International Airport to meet with individuals he believed would help him finalize the illicit transaction. Instead, he was met by agents from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the FBI, who took him into custody. When he completes his prison sentence, Fisher will be removed from the United States.
James Meharg, CEO and president of Turbine Resources International, LLC, in Pensacola, was previously convicted of conspiring with Fisher to export the turbine and parts from the United States to an Iranian recipient, in violation of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. Meharg is currently serving a 31⁄2-year sentence in federal prison.
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One Response to “Man Caught At Pensacola Airport Sentenced For Plan To Smuggle Generator To Iran”
U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe said. “It’s appalling to think that someone would place personal financial gain above the safety of the nation, but this case shows we will pursue and punish those who try.”
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Incredible hypocrisy. Everything about the administration that Keefe works for puts profits in front of people. I’m amazed these people can even manage to look in a mirror.