Oregon Public Broadcasting

A guilty plea to gun parts smuggling may end the career of a U.S. Army officer stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Army Captain Tomoaki Iishiba entered a guilty plea in federal court to one smuggling charge. 

He admits that he falsified customs forms in order to ship sixty holographic weapons sights and other optics to Japan.

The gun accessories have military use and can’t be exported without strict controls.

Immigration and customs enforcement agent in charge Leigh Winchell says it appears the customers in Japan acquired the expensive rifle sights for recreational use.

Leigh Winchell: “I don’t think anyone is alleging or even inferring at this point of time that the end users in this instance were enemies of the United States.”

The 34-year-old intelligence officer cooperated after his arrest.  But Winchell expects the felony conviction to jeopardize the continuation of Captain Iishiba’s career in the Army.