I actually demanded a jury trial, as is my right under U.S. law.
The problems is that the prosecutors could not produce even a sliver of
evidence that I did anything wrong, and could not produce a single
person who was willing to testify under oath that I had done anything
wrong.
Then there was the evidence that the police and the prosecutor hid for
29 months, that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was innocent,
and that the whole thing was a set up from the very beginning.
Then court documents were presented that proved REI beyond a shadow of
a doubt that REI has been illegally manufacturing and smuggling arms
for over 10 years, likely over 20 years.
Then there court documents that proved the REI worked with my local
police department to set me up, to delay a shipment (which I had
already paid REI for in full), so the police could charge me with a
crime, when in fact I had done nothing wrong. REI has been going wild
in damage control mode over this case, especially since the issue of
thier smuggling of arms had come to light (in Fall 2007).
In fact REI actually sued me to try to not have to produce documents,
and then railroaded the case though thier local court, and I responded
by removing the case to Federal Court, and it is now in the First
Circuit Court of Appeals after the judge in the matter was caught
red-handed violating federal law, and I removed it to the Appellate
level (who do not take kindly to judicial misconduct in the lesser,
more inferior courts).
What a lot of folks may not know is that I caught REI red handed doing
massive, and I mean massively massive arms smuggling in Fall 2007, and
I confronted them over the smuggling, and at that time REI threatened
me with retaliation. I was concerned because REI had been telling me
for years that they were applying for and obtaining the required
ITAR/Department of State licenses for all exports, and I came to
suspect that they were not so I started asking questions and demanding
export paperwork. I then continued to push them for copies of the
licenses on other shipments, and even checked with Customs, Commerce
and the U.S. State Deprtment who all confirmed that REI was not
obtaining ANY licensing as required for their shipments. After that
point our relationship deteriorated, and there was the matter of
millions of dollars in commissions that they owed me that they refused
to pay. In 2008 and 2009 I started noticing they were playing more and
more games with me, and then in the Fall or 2009 they took their games
to a different level and have since confessed to setting me up from the
very beginning.
In the Fall of 2007 after I suspected what they were up to I properly
reported the matter to the appropriate authorities, and took
appropriate other actions (of which I am not allowed to speak), which
is likely why I got set up by them. Then they actually tried repeatedly
to set me up in 2008 without success, and then several times in early
2009, and then repeatedly tried to get me to commit export fraud which
they were not successful in doing.
As many of you knew I actually was clinically dead as a result of this,
and was hospitalized for a while, and had to have surgery.
If you have REI equipment you would do well to seek an alternate
supplier of TSCM gear as you may soon find that you can get no customer
services, repair, calibration, or training from the company. If you are
plannign to purchase some of their equipment don't. If you are not a
U.S. Citizen and you possess any of their equipment you could be an
very serious legal trouble because you do not possess it legally.
Please go back and read that last sentence, because you could be
brought up on criminal charges for possession of their equipment as is
it impossible for you to have gotten it legally.
If you have REI gear and you are NOT a U.S. Citizen or you are the
U.S> Citizen and you took this gear outside the borders of the U.S.
then you need to contact the U.S. Embassy closest to you right away and
inform them that you are in possession of smuggled equipment that you
purchased, and which was not lawfully exported from the United States,
and that the equipment is in violation of 22 CFR 121.1 XI(b) and that
you wish to self report the illegal transaction and immediately turn
over the equipment to them or to your own government.
As a replacement for your REI gear I woudl recommend the the equipment
made by Anristu, Tektronics, Winkleman, LorNet, AudioTel, PPSL, Fluke,
and other companies. BUT, if is is TSCM gear or related supplied ensure
that first the company in question has a current State Department
license to manufacture the equipment (REI did not), and they every
import or export has a DOS-PM/DDTC export license number on all of the
paperwork.
DO not be surprised of you government comes knocking on your door to
collect both you and your illegally imported/exported equipment. Having
a candid discussion without he U.S> State Deprtment will save you a
lot of hassles.
If you woudl like to chat with someone at the U.S. State Deprtment I
woudl suggest that you speak first with Beth M. McCormick at (202)
647-0337, and then to Robert Kovac, or actually anybody at the PM/DDTC
Response Team. The PM/DDTC enforcement people will seek to have an
extended discusison with you, so study up on ITAR compliance, and the
Wassenaar Arrangement and UN Security Council arms embargoes before you
call them.
You can also reach them by E-Mail at:
"Beth M. McCormick, U.S. Department of State"
<mccor...@state.gov>
"Robert S. Kovac, PM/DDTC, U.S. State Department"
<Kov...@state.gov>
"Smith, Glenn E, PM/DDTC Enforcement and Compliance"
<Smit...@state.gov>
When possible try to keep you inquiries and correspondence with them in
a written format, and remember these are the folks who ignored what REI
was doing the whole time, and who took no enforcement action against
REI for 15 years.
-jma