Firearms, ammunition to be forfeited in gun smuggling to Lebanon case

CEDAR RAPIDS - A federal judge has granted a preliminary order that gives the government more than 100 firearms, 13,000 rounds of ammunition, $48,000 and seven skid loaders as part of plea agreements involving four family members convicted earlier this year of smuggling guns from Iowa to Lebanon.

Four Cedar Rapids residents - Ali Al Herz, 51; his brother, Bassem Al Herz, 31; Ali's son, Adam Al Herz, 23; and Adam's wife, Sarah Zeaiter, 24 - pleaded guilty in March to firearms conspiracy.

The firearms and other items seized in the investigation will be turned over to the U.S. Attorney's Office, as required by law, to dispose of as directed by the U.S. Attorney General, court documents show.

The forfeited items are 114 firearms in a variety of pistols and rifles; 13,829 rounds of ammunition; seven Bobcat skid loaders; and $48,575 in cash.

Documents show the $48,575 was paid for the skid loaders, which came from illegal proceeds gained in the export scheme. The skid loaders were used to conceal the illegal weapons and ammunition in the shipping containers headed for Lebanon.

In general, forfeited firearms are destroyed. Equipment like the skid loaders is typically sold at auction. Auction proceeds, plus the cash, are shared by law enforcement agencies involved in the case, according to the U.S. Department of Justice website.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan said he couldn't elaborate on what would happen with the items because sentencing is pending. A date has not been set.

The family members pleas and possible sentences:

' Ali Al Herz pleaded guilty to one count each of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, firearms conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering and violation of the Arms Export Control Act, which is not having a license to export firearms. He faces up to 55 years in federal prison.

' Bassem Al Herz pleaded guilty to firearms conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering and violation of the Arms Export Control Act. He faces up to 45 years in prison and a $1.7 million fine.

' Adam Al Herz pleaded guilty to firearms conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering and violation of the Arms Export Control Act. He faces up to 45 years in prison and a $1.7 million fine.

' Zeaiter pleaded guilty to one count each of firearms conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering and violation of the Arms Export Control Act. She faces up to 45 years in prison.

The family members were arrested in May 2015 after authorities raided Midamar Corp. to find firearms and ammunition concealed among clothing drive items. The container was being sent to Lebanon by Herz Enterprises - the Al Herz family - which was using Midamar's export shipping service.

Midamar owners and employees added clothing items to the container for Syrian and Lebanese refugees and were not involved in the conspiracy, officials have said.

Bassem Al Herz in a plea agreement admitted four shipments of guns were sent from Cedar Rapids to Lebanon between March 2014 and May 2015. Money from the gun sales was used to buy more guns and ammunition to continue the conspiracy, he admitted.

Authorities seized one shipment, bound for Beirut, in Norfolk, Va., in March. The shipment contained 53 firearms, parts and more than 6,800 rounds of ammunition hidden in skid loaders. Many of the weapons had been placed in bags similar to the ones used at Pizza Daddy, a Cedar Rapids restaurant owned by Ali Herz's brother, Maitham Herz. The restaurant was also raided in May 2015.

Another intercepted container contained 99 guns, more than 9,500 rounds of ammunition and gun parts and accessories, court documents show.