Related News
25 years for Russian arms dealer in NY terror case
Source: Agencies |
April 6, 2012, Friday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
A defiant Russian arms dealer dubbed the Merchant of Death for his history of arming violent dictators and regimes was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison, far short of the life term prosecutors sought for his conviction on terrorism charges that grew from a U.S. sting operation.
Viktor Bout's sentence was the mandatory minimum he faced, though federal sentencing guidelines had called for life in prison.
US District Judge Shira Scheindlin in Manhattan said it was sufficient and appropriate because Bout's crimes originated only because of an elaborate sting operation created by the Drug Enforcement Administration to catch one of the world's most notorious arms dealers.
She said there was no evidence the 45-year-old Bout, a vegetarian and classical music fan who speaks six languages, had ever planned to harm Americans or commit a crime punishable in US courts until the sting was created.
"But for the approach made through this determined sting operation, there is no reason to believe Bout would ever have committed the charged crimes," she said.
As Bout left court, he hugged his lawyer and waved to his wife.
Viktor Bout's sentence was the mandatory minimum he faced, though federal sentencing guidelines had called for life in prison.
US District Judge Shira Scheindlin in Manhattan said it was sufficient and appropriate because Bout's crimes originated only because of an elaborate sting operation created by the Drug Enforcement Administration to catch one of the world's most notorious arms dealers.
She said there was no evidence the 45-year-old Bout, a vegetarian and classical music fan who speaks six languages, had ever planned to harm Americans or commit a crime punishable in US courts until the sting was created.
"But for the approach made through this determined sting operation, there is no reason to believe Bout would ever have committed the charged crimes," she said.
As Bout left court, he hugged his lawyer and waved to his wife.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
