Syrian associate of arms dealer gets 5 years in US prison
A Syrian associate of international arms dealer Viktor Bout who served in the US Army was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison on conspiracy and wire fraud charges.
US District Judge William H. Pauley III sentenced Richard Chichakli below sentencing guidelines that called for seven to nine years, noting his medical problems, his military service and his claims that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his time as a soldier and of his childhood. Chichakli was also ordered to forfeit $1.7 million and pay $70,000 in restitution.
A year ago, a Manhattan jury found that he tried to illegally buy two airplanes to transport weapons to international war zones. Chichakli had been extradited to the United States from Australia, where he was arrested in January 2013.
