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North Korea man gets prison in night-vision goggle case

February 25, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A man born in North Korea will serve more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty in an attempt to export night-vision goggles to China.

Song Il Kim was sentenced Thursday in Salt Lake City. The 42-year-old man was arrested in Hawaii after a monthslong online sting operation by Utah-based Homeland Security Agents.

Prosecutors say Kim gave an undercover agent $16,000 during a meeting at a Waikiki hotel, then they packed the equipment up and labeled it as used toys to be shipped to China.

Authorities say the goggles could have ended up in North Korea, but defense attorney Scott Williams says Kim no longer has ties there.

U.S. District Judge Dee Benson says Kim appears to be a family man. Kim got 40 months in prison after agreeing to a plea deal.