Thermal Imaging Cameras to China

On April 23, 2012, Jason Jian Liang, the owner and operator of Sanwave International Corporation in Huntington Beach, Calif., was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years supervised release after pleading guilty on July 18, 2011, in the Central District of California to violations stemming from his illegal exports of thermal imaging cameras to Hong Kong and China. Lian was first indicted on June 2, 2010. An August 18, 2010 superseding indictment charged Liang with illegally exporting more thermal imaging cameras to China without first having obtained the required licenses. The cameras in question were manufactured by L-3 Communications Infrared Products and were designated by the Commerce Department as an export-controlled item that could not be exported to China for national security and regional stability reasons. Ultimately Lian admitted making seven illegal exports of 300-D thermal imaging cameras over a 31-month period. All told, he exported 63 cameras.