Transnational Arms Trafficking—Erika Jardine

A group of nine individuals, including US Marines, have been arrested for “stealing bulletproof vests intended for American troops in Iraq and trying to sell them to international arms merchants.”^[1] According to authorities with the Department of Homeland Security, ballistic vests, helmets, and protective plates were stolen from Camp Pendleton in San Diego.^[2] The items were then sold over the Internet, in some cases to ICE agents posing as international arms dealers.^[3] According to ICE, agents “recovered or purchased items worth more than $63,000 including tactical vests, protective inserts, helmets, gas masks, M-16 assault rifle magazines and more than 100,000 Iraqi dinars.”^[4]

A California woman, Erika Jardine, pleaded guilty last year was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison and six months of house arrest.^[5] In exchange for her guilty plea, Ms. Jardine agreed to cooperate with authorities by “help[ing] agents retrieve … 50 vests and investigate 12 Marines. … To catch other military personnel, [Ms.] Jardine helped agents place phony newspaper advertisements and negotiate sales.”^[6] Ms. Jardine claimed she did it to “make money to buy health insurance that her multiple jobs, including one as a licensed real estate agent, did not provide.”^[7]

The Marines will be tried in a military court while the civilians will be tried in federal court.^[8]

Ms. Jardine was charged in a criminal information for violating 22 U.S.C. § 2778 (export of munitions without a license) and under 18 U.S.C. § 641 (selling United States property).^[9] The civilians who are allegedly involved in this scheme will likely be charged under the same statutes.

The punishment for a violation of section 2778 is fine of up to $1 million dollars, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. The punishment for a violation of section 641 is a fine, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both.

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[1] Ring Stealing Bulletproof Vests Busted, Reuters, Feb. 22, 2006.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] John Shiffman, Marines Accused in Thefts of Body-Armor Plates, Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 23, 2006.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Tony Perry, Nine Are Arrested in Scheme to Sell Combat Gear on EBay, LA Times, Feb. 23, 2006.
[9] Information, United States v. Jardine, No. 2:05-cr-00446, (E.D. Pa. 2006) (available through ECF).