Lebanese man accused of buying guns shipped from Cedar Rapids to Lebanon

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Lebanese man was charged Tuesday in federal court for buying firearms in Lebanon that were shipped from Cedar Rapids by family members convicted of gun smuggling last year.

Fadi Yassine, 42, who was arrested earlier this month in New York City, is charged with conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act - not having a license to export guns, a criminal complaint shows.

U.S. Chief Magistrate C.J. Williams ordered Yassine to remain in custody pending trial. A trial date hasn't been set. Yassine waived his right to a detention hearing and didn't request a preliminary hearing.

Yassine was arrested on a warrant when he arrived on an international flight Feb. 6 in New York City, court documents show. Following a federal hearing in Brooklyn, he waived further proceedings in New York and a judge transferred him back to U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The warrant affidavit shows Yassine purchased guns in Lebanon that had been acquired in the United States and shipped to Lebanon by Ali Al Herz, 51, his son Adam Al Herz, 23, his brother Bassem Herz, 31, and Bassem's wife, Sarah Zeaiter, 24.

A Homeland Security Investigation special agent reviewed Facebook account records and determined Yassine was advising Bassem Herz on purchasing firearms. In the Facebook messages, the two men referenced the fact that a certain Glock model was the newest firearm on the market. Yassine also advised Herz not to buy Kimber guns or ammunition.

The affidavit also shows Yassine gave $30,000 in cash to Ali Al Herz in Lebanon for him to acquire more guns in the United States.

The Al Herz family members were convicted last year for smuggling guns from Iowa to Lebanon and are all serving federal prison terms.

The initial investigation of the Al Herz family led to the March 2015 seizure of 53 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition concealed inside Bobcat skid loaders within a shipping container at the Norfolk, Virginia, seaport bound for Lebanon. A subsequent investigation led to the May 2015 seizure of a second shipping container, loaded at Midamar Corp. in Cedar Rapids, also destined for Lebanon, with 99 guns and ammunition concealed inside skid loaders.

Evidence presented during hearings showed the containers were bound for southern Lebanon, which is controlled by Hezbollah, a terrorist organization. But the evidence showed none of the family was part of the terrorist group. Prosecutors said the motive for the crime was greed, as the guns could be sold for 10 times their value in Lebanon than in the United States.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com