RALEIGH, N.C. โ The proprietor of a North Carolina business admitted guilt in a federal court on Friday for attempting to export electronic devices with military uses to China without the obligatory license from the U.S. government, officials reported.
The individual, David C. Bohmerwald, was originally indicted in October for breaching the Export Control Reform Act in addition to other federal regulations. His guilty plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle in Raleigh. Bohmerwald, aged 63, is slated for sentencing tentatively in mid-May, based on court documentation. He potentially faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison as per a notification from the U.S. Justice Department.
Bohmerwald, who owns Raleigh-based Components Cooper Inc., purchased 100 accelerometers from an American electronics firm, with the intention of exporting these devices to a company in China, according to the release and court records. These accelerometers are instrumental in measuring vibrations, tilt, and acceleration in structures, serving aerospace and military functions by enhancing missile accuracy and gauging the precision of munitions.
Authorities became aware of Bohmerwaldโs transaction when the electronics firm alerted them about his order request. After acquiring the accelerometers, Bohmerwald dispatched two packages, one being directed to a Chinese enterprise, through a shipping store, as discussed in the release. Federal agents intercepted the package, discovering all 100 accelerometers inside.
The government disclosed that Bohmerwald misrepresented the value of the package contents at $100, though the actual worth was close to $20,000. He confessed to agents that his procurement of the technology was on behalf of a China-based firm, all while being aware of the export regulations preventing such actions.
โWe have successfully interrupted this plan aimed at unlawfully exporting critical technology, ensuring that accelerometers and similar components remain out of unauthorized hands or adversariesโ reach,โ stated Cardell Morant, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge of operations in the Carolinas within the Department of Homeland Security.
Attorneys on record for representing Bohmerwald did not respond to an email request for comment on Friday.