RMI pleads guilty of illegal exports

LAFAYETTE – Rocky Mountain Instrument Co. based in Lafayette pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and willfully exporting defense articles without a license.

The company was sentenced to forfeit $1 million and spend five years on probation for its criminal conduct.

Attorneys for the corporation appeared in court June 22 to tender the guilty plea to Chief U.S. District Court Judge Wiley Y. Daniel. RMI was originally charged on March 17.

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According to court documents, between April 1, 2005 and Oct.11, 2007, RMI knowingly and willfully exported and caused to be exported from the United States to Turkey, South Korea, the People’s Republic of China and Russia, defense articles without having first obtained a license or written authorization for such exports from the U.S. Department of State.

The items included prisms and technical data related to various optics used in military applications, which were designated as defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List.

The information illegally exported by RMI involved guidance or target systems for various military applications.

“The technology illegally exported in this case involves sensitive military information,´ said David Gaouette, U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado. “Most of the technology in question is currently being used by American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and as such must be protected to safeguard our military men and women.”

Since 2007, RMI has implemented a compliance system meant to ensure the same problem won’t happen again, said Tricia Heller, the company’s regulatory compliance director.

Heller said, at the time, RMI officials didn’t know the information was being illegally exported, but she said the company took the issue very seriously and admitted to the activity, had some changes in personnel, and are trying to put it behind them.

“With today’s resolution we are focused on the future,” she said.