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David C. Bohmerwald, who was formally charged in October with
violating the Export Control Reform Act and other portions of
the federal code, entered the plea to a count before U.S.
District Judge Terrence Boyle in Raleigh. Bohmerwald, 63, has a
tentative sentencing date for mid-May, court records show. He
could face up to 20 years in prison, according to a U.S. Justice
Department news release.
Bohmerwald, the owner of Raleigh-based Components Cooper Inc.,
purchased 100 accelerometers from a U.S.-based electronic
company, and then attempted to export the devices to a company
in China, the release said, citing court documents and
information presented in court.
An accelerometer, which measures the vibration, tilt and
acceleration of a structure, can be used in aerospace and
military applications, such as helping missiles fly more
accurately and measuring the precise effect of munitions.
The electronics company notified law enforcement about
Bohmerwald’s purchase request. After receiving the
accelerometers, Bohmerwald dropped off two parcels -- one
addressed to a business in China -- at a shipping store, the
release said. A federal agent held the package and found the 100
accelerometers inside.
Bohmerwald falsely listed the value of the package’s content at
$100, when the true value was nearly $20,000, according to the
government, and he admitted to agents that he acquired the
technology on behalf of a Chinese-based company while knowing
about the export restrictions.
“The disruption of this scheme to illegally export sensitive
technology means that accelerometers and other items will not be
used by unauthorized individuals or for adversarial purposes,”
said Cardell Morant, a special agent in charge who supervises
Homeland Security Investigations, within the Department of
Homeland Security, in the Carolinas.
Lawyers identified in court records as representing Bohmerwald
in the case didn’t respond Friday to an email seeking comment.
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