Filipino pleads guilty in US to importing military spy plane

WASHINGTON—A Filipino on Thursday (Friday in Manila) pleaded guilty to importing into the United States an unmanned US military aerial vehicle, the Justice Department said.

Henson Chua, 47, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on the charge that he “willfully caused the temporary import” of the unmanned “Raven” aerial vehicle.

The equipment is normally used for surveillance and reconnaissance in conflict zones. Chua was tracked down after attempting to sell the vehicle on eBay.

“The unlawful import of military technology poses a serious threat to our national security,” said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief for Tampa, Susan McCormick.

The US agency is “committed to working with the US Attorney’s Office and military investigators to protect the American public and our military troops overseas from this kind of technology falling into the wrong hands,” she added.

A sentencing date was not given.