Posted on 07/18/2006 5:52:20 AM PDT by radar101
SAN DIEGO -- A former military intelligence officer was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison for helping a convicted arms trafficker export parts for jet fighters and other aircraft that were ultimately destined for Iran.
George Charles Budenz II, a retired Navy commander, pleaded guilty in November to three counts of illegally exporting engine parts for F-5 fighters, T-38 military trainers and Chinook helicopters to Malaysia and Belgium on behalf of Pakistani arms dealer Arif Ali Durrani.
In court, Budenz called Durrani a "lying snake" who took advantage of him at a time of personal and financial distress.
"I screwed up," Budenz told the court. "I thought I knew what I was doing, but I misjudged badly. I should never have spent a moment with this man."
U.S. District Court Judge Larry A. Burns repeatedly commended Budenz for 26 years of distinguished military service and for cooperating with a federal investigation into Durrani's illicit arms dealing from his home in Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
"Mr. Budenz, I am sorry to have to do this. It brings me no joy to impose this sentence," Burns told him.
Budenz will spend a year in prison and six months in a halfway house for his involvement. Burns also required him to pay a $10,000 fine.
Durrani was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison after being found guilty in March of illegally exporting arms components with help from Budenz and another American, Richard Tobey. Durrani served a five-year sentence in the late 1980s for similar crimes after he was convicted of selling guidance systems for Hawk anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.
Budenz, 61, described himself as a businessman and said he first began working with Durrani through a high-end furniture business. Durrani, who was deported after he completed his prison term in the 1990s, asked Budenz for help resuming his arms business in the United States.
Budenz said at a plea hearing in October that he shipped jet parts via Federal Express in December 2004 and January 2005 at Durrani's direction. Federal investigators say some of those components may have wound up in Iran.
At the time, Budenz said, he was suffering from tumors behind his nose and between his eyes.
Budenz admitted to Burns that he was aware of Durrani's earlier conviction for arms dealing when he agreed to work with him.
"What gets me about this case is that you're the last guy in the world I would have suspected of this," Burns told Budenz. "It's the whole idea of a guy with your record getting involved in selling these things to an end user who is hostile to our country. I can't think of another country that is more belligerent to the United States today than Iran."
Budenz was a Naval Reserve intelligence officer and was sent on postings all over the world. He retired in 1994 with honors that include the Joint Service Commendation Medal. In 1996, he served in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Defense attorney Thomas P. Matthews described Budenz to the court as "quite simply the most patriotic man I've ever met."
His two sons are currently in the armed forces. He told Burns that they are preparing for deployment in Iraq.
Tobey, Durrani's other accomplice, pleaded guilty in August to conspiring to violate U.S. arms export control laws. He said Durrani instructed him to send a T-38 cockpit canopy to the United Arab Emirates in 2004.
Sad.
Why are you sorry, Judge? The guy is a frigging traitor. Do your job and spare us the whining.
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