David C. Bohmerwald, a Raleigh-based electronics business owner, has pled guilty to attempting to export accelerometer technology with military applications to China without the necessary license. This act violated the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and could result in a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The case is part of an investigation by the district’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DTSF).
"North Carolina is home to cutting-edge technologies that fuel our economy, improve our lives, and are vital to national security," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Bubar. "But our status as a major tech hub also makes us a target, as America’s foreign adversaries seek to acquire sensitive tech to advance their military might and interests around the world." He added that this case reveals an attempt to bypass U.S. export laws by sending nearly $20,000 worth of missile-related accelerometers from North Carolina to China.
Jeffrey Levine from the Bureau of Industry and Security highlighted the importance of enforcing export controls for national security and economic stability: "The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is another example of how those agencies with enforcement responsibilities work together."
Special Agent Cardell T. Morant emphasized Homeland Security Investigations' role in preventing unauthorized use of sensitive technology: "HSI will aggressively investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable criminals that supply sensitive technology to unauthorized users."
Court documents revealed that Bohmerwald purchased 100 accelerometers from a U.S.-based company and attempted to ship them illegally to China after falsely claiming they were intended for a user in Missouri. The U.S.-based company reported his suspicious purchase request leading law enforcement agents to intervene.
An agent detained one package at FedEx addressed to China containing 100 accelerometers without proper licensing documentation. Bohmerwald admitted acquiring these on behalf of a Chinese company while knowing it required an export license.
The case was managed through the DTSF, which aims at protecting supply chains against illicit actors trying acquiring critical technology unlawfully across international borders.
Daniel P. Bubar along with Sue Bai announced this development following Judge Terrence W Boyle's acceptance plea; BIS alongside FBI & DHS investigations continue under Assistant US Attorney Logan Liles' prosecution supported by Brendan Geary within DOJ National Security Division Counterintelligence Section efforts.
