Calif man pleads guilty to sending military equipment to Yemen, faces up to 5 years prison

Calif man admits illegally working as Yemeni agent

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A California man has admitted to working illegally as a Yemeni agent.

Amen Ahmed Ali of Bakersfield pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally exporting military equipment, possession of stolen U.S. property and conspiracy to act as an illegal agent for a foreign country.

In his plea agreement, Ali admitted to working for the Yemeni government between 1997 and 2006 without notfiying the U.S. attorney general.

Prosecutors say he shipped military equipment such as bulletproof vests, chemical protective suits and other equipment. Ali also bought and shipped off night-vision goggles, laptop computers and satellite phones sold to him by an undercover FBI agent posing as a U.S. Army soldier.

Ali faces up to five years in prison when he’s sentenced Jan. 24.