CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Three people from Cedar Rapids, Iowa have pleaded guilty to federal charges for illegally shipping guns and ammunition to Lebanon, according to court documents.
Ali Afif Al Herz, 51, Sarah Zeaiter, 25, and Adam Ben Ali Al Herz, 23 were charged after a complaint was filed in May 2015. The complaint alleges that between August 2014 and May 2015, three shipping containers from Cedar Rapids were loaded with Bobcat skid loaders, clothing and various items were to be sent to Beirut, Lebanon.
Authorities did not intercept the first container, but the second was found in March 2015 to contain 53 guns and more than 6800 rounds of ammunition hidden in the skid loaders. In May of that year, the third container was found to contain just short of 100 guns and 9500 rounds of ammunition hidden in the skid loaders.
Adam Al Herz and Sarah Majid Zeaiter both pleaded guilty to conspiring to deal in firearms without a license, conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Arms Export Control Act.
They each face more than 40 years in prison and nearly $2 million in fines.
Ali Afif Al Herz pleaded guilty to all of the above, including one count of possession firearms after convicted of domestic violence.
Al Herz faces up to 55 years in prison and a $2 million fine.
A sentencing date has not yet been determined.
The containers were shipped by Midamar, a food company which reportedly collected donated food and clothing to be sent to Syrian refugees and people trapped in Lebanon. The company was not directly charged or implicated, and an attorney representing Midamar said their employees had no knowledge of what was in the container.
However, the Midamar owners and brothers Jalel Aossey and Yahya Aossey were both found guilty of falsifying documents and certification on their halal food products shipped to Malaysia and Indonesia.
