Podcast: 'On The Record' goes inside prosecution of Cedar Rapids-to-Lebanon gun smuggling case

This installment of On the Record talks about the family members convicted for smuggling guns from Cedar Rapids to Lebanon in 2014 and 2015. The last member of the family charged in the case, Bassem Herz, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison on Monday in U.S. District Court.

The show's guest is Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Murphy, who prosecuted all four cases. He talks about the complex investigations that led to the initial seizure of a shipping container with 53 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition concealed inside Bobcat skid loaders at the Norfolk, Virginia, seaport, bound for Lebanon, in March 2015. A second shipment, packed with 99 firearms and more ammunition hidden inside skid loaders, was seized from Midamar Corp. in May 2015. It was also destined for Lebanon.

Other family members convicted: Ali Al Herz, 51, Bassem's brother, sentenced to 27 years; Ali's son, Adam Al Herz, 23, sentenced to 20 years; and Bassem's wife, Sarah Zeaiter, 24, sentenced to seven years in prison.

On the Record, a podcast covering crime, courts and other legal topics, is hosted by Trish Mehaffey and produced by Richard Pratt.