FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - July 21, 2011

FAYETTEVILLE RESIDENT RECEIVES FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCE FOR ILLEGALLY EXPORTING FIREARMS

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today United States District Judge James C. Dever III, sentenced RAMADAN RAMA, 40, to 18 months’ imprisonment. The Court also imposed a fine of $4,000.00.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on December 14, 2010. On March 9, 2011, RAMA pled guilty to failure to notify a commercial carrier of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(e) and exporting defense articles without a license, in violation of Title 22, United States Code, Section 2778(b).

According to the Criminal Complaint, on March 16, 2010, RAMA, arrived in Pristina, Kosovo, from the Raleigh Durham Airport. Upon a search of his checked luggage, officials found two disassembled semi-automatic pistols that had been wrapped in aluminum foil in an attempt to avoid detection.

The Criminal Complaint further alleges that on September 22, 2010, RAMA departed the Raleigh Durham Airport en route to Pristina, Kosovo. During a layover in Vienna where Austrian Customs authorities performed a baggage check, the authorities located a disassembled Walther P22 .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol concealed in the lining of a leather bag packed in his checked luggage.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Toby Lathan represented the government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce.