Family facing gun smuggling charges to Lebanon face additional charges

CEDAR RAPIDS - Four family members charged with smuggling guns to Lebanon have been indicted on additional charges of violating firearms export laws.

A superseding indictment filed last week in U.S. District Court, charges all four defendants with two counts of violations of the Arms Export Control Act. The indictment alleges the four didn't have a license to export firearms to Lebanon.

Ali Al Herz, 50, of Cedar Rapids, previously was charged with 23 counts of being a domestic abuser in possession of a firearm and one count each of firearm conspiracy and money laundering.

His son Adam Al Herz, 22, of Cedar Rapids, is charged with 16 counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and one count each of firearms conspiracy and money laundering.

Bassem Al Herz, 30, Ali Al Herz's brother, is charged with one count each of firearms conspiracy and money laundering.

And Bassem's wife, Sarah Zeaiter, 24, of Cedar Rapids, is charged with three counts of false claim to U.S. citizenship on bank records and federal firearms forms and one count each of firearms conspiracy and money laundering.

In the export license application, the exporter must identify the weapons, who is receiving them and the purpose for the weapons, according to the indictment. All the firearms, ammunition, parts, accessories, attachments and associated equipment that the defendants are accused of shipping out of the country are prohibited from export without a validated export issued by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, within the State Department.

Each of the four waived appearances for arraignment hearings on the new charges, which had been set for Wednesday. Lawyers for each indicated they would submit not-guilty written pleas to the court.

The family members are accused, starting in late 2013 and continuing through May 12, of conspiring to deal firearms without a license, ship and transport firearms to Lebanon in containers without providing written notice that firearms and ammunition were in the packages, and making false statements to licensed firearms dealers for transaction records required by law, according to the first indictment.

Their trial tentatively is set for April 14, 2016.