MIAMI, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to exporting classified defense systems and technology to South Korea, prosecutors said Monday.

Juwhan Yun, also known as Jw Yun, 69, of Short Hills, New Jersey, attempted to acquire RD-180 rocket propulsion systems, engines and related technology for the Republic of South Korea, as early as December 2008. These items are classified as defense articles under the U.S. Munitions List.

Yun was previously convicted of conspiring to export Sarin gas in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and was previously sentenced to 39 months in prison.

He pleaded guilty on Monday to exporting systems and technology without a license, as he now faces a maximum prison term of up to ten years at his scheduled sentencing on August 20.

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JAMAICA, NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Monday that it has proposed a civil penalty against Air Mods and Repair Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware.

The $297,000 civil penalty has been proposed, as the FAA alleges Air Mods and Repair Corporation operated two general aviation aircrafts when they were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

Maintenance problems were allegedly discovered with a Piper PA-23 Aztec twin and a single-engine Piper PA-28 Warrior after an FAA Flight Standards inspection of a proposed flight school at the Air Mods facility at Robbinsville, New Jersey was conducted. The company was told by the FAA that proper repair procedures were required before further flight of either aircraft.

Between January 22 and March 4, 2009, Air Mods allegedly operated the Warrior on 19 subsequent flights and the Aztec on six flights from January 21 to February 28, 2009 without making the necessary repairs to either aircraft.

After receiving the penalty letter, the company has 30 to respond to the FAA.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) — The leader of the largest hacking and identity theft ring ever prosecuted by the U.S. government has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a series of hacks into a major payment processor and several retail networks, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

Albert Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris in U.S. District Court in Boston to 20 years in prison for conspiracy, computer fraud wire fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft related to hacks into numerous major U.S. retailers.

Another indictment in New York charged Gonzalez with conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to his breach of the electronic payment systems of the Dave and Buster’s restaurant chain.

Gonzalez was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and to pay a fine of $25,000.

On Friday, Gonzalez was also sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 20 years and one day in prison for two counts of conspiracy relating to his efforts to assist others in gaining access to the payment card networks of Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card processor.

“Computer hackers and identity thieves pose serious risks to our commercial, personal and financial security,” stated U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Benton J. Campbell. “Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to would-be hackers everywhere, including those who commit their crimes from abroad – you will be found, prosecuted and convicted.”

Gonzalez and his co-conspirators broke into retail credit card payment systems through a series of sophisticated techniques, including “wardriving” and installation of sniffer programs to capture credit and debit card numbers used at the victim retail stores.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) — Federal regulators on Friday closed The Park Avenue Bank in New York City, marking the 28th bank failure of 2010.

The Park Avenue Bank was closed by the New York State Banking Department after its regular closing time on Friday. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was appointed as receiver following its closure, who immediately entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with the New Jersey-based Valley National Bank in Wayne to assume all of the failed bank’s deposits.

Most, if not all customers, should see no or little service disruptions despite the closure of the institution. On Friday, the four branches of the bank will reopen during its normal business hours as branches of Valley National Bank.

All of the failed bank’s services, including checks, ATM and debit cards, will remain active. “Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed,” the FDIC said in a statement. “Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.”

As of December 31, 2009, The Park Avenue Bank had approximately $520.1 million in total assets and $494.5 million in total deposits. The Valley National Bank will pay the FDIC a premium of 0.15 percent to assume all of the bank’s deposits, the FDIC said. “In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Valley National Bank agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.”

The FDIC and Valley National Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on approximately $379.8 million of The Park Avenue Bank’s assets. Valley National Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers.

The FDIC said it estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $24.8 million. It said Valley National Bank’s acquisition of the deposits was the “least costly” resolution compared to other alternatives.

Friday’s closure was not only the 28th U.S. bank failure of 2010 but was also New York’s second bank failure this year. Regulators last closed the LibertyPointe Bank in New York City on Thursday.

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BUENA, NEW JERSEY (BNO NEWS) — A U.S. man charged in Yemen with being a member of al-Qaida worked at a number of power plants for more than six years, officials said on Thursday.

Sharif Mobley, 26, was identified by Yemeni officials as a Somali-American and was taken into custody earlier this month. He has been charged with being a member of al-Qaida, the same terrorist group which is believed to have carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“Sharif Mobley previously worked as a laborer at PSEG Nuclear for a variety of contractors from 2002 to 2008 mainly during refueling outages for several weeks at a time,” said Joe Delmar, manager of Nuclear Communications for PSEG Nuclear. The company operates the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Stations in Lower Alloways Creek, New Jersey and is a part owner of the Peach Bottom Nuclear generation station in Delta, Pennsylvania.

Delmar said Mobley satisfied federal security background checks required to work in the U.S. nuclear industry as recently as 2008. “While working here, he did routine labor work carrying supplies and assisting maintenance activities.” Delmar said he also worked at other nuclear plants in the region, but provided no further details.

“We are cooperating with law enforcement as part of their investigation as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other nuclear plant operators,” he added.

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NEWARK (BNO NEWS) — A New Jersey man who flew on a Continental Airlines flight from Newark to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California has been arrested and charged after allegedly sexually assaulting two women aboard the flight, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on Wednesday.

James Dalton Bratcher, 35, was arrested on Sunday by the FBI and the Orange County, California Sheriff’s Department. According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Bratcher allegedly initiated unwanted sexual contact with two females with whom he was not acquainted. The alleged assault took place on board Continental Airlines flight 787, a night flight from Newark to Orange County.

The charge alleged in the complaint, “knowingly engaging in and causing sexual contact with another person without the person’s permission, while in the maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, including the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 2244 (b) and Title 49, U.S. Code, Section 46506 (1), carries a statutory maximum penalty of 2 years in federal prison per count.

Title 49 United States Code, Section 46501 establishes the Special Aircraft/Maritime Jurisdiction of the United States and gives the federal government jurisdiction in all criminal matters occurring on any civil aircraft of the U.S. while in flight, regardless of departure or arrival location.

According to a sworn affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, by Special Agent Heather Luke, Victim 1 fell asleep approximately two hours prior to the flight landing at John Wayne Airport. “Approximately one hour prior to landing, Victim #1 was suddenly awakened because it felt as if someone (unbeknownst to her) used their entire hand to grab her right breast,” Luke wrote in the sworn affidavit. “The touch lasted for less than five seconds.”

The documents say the victim woke up and observed a male, who was identified to be Bratcher. “Victim #1 was very shocked by this event and her heart was racing,” said Luke.

The alleged victim then attempted to return to sleep, even though she said she felt very vulnerable, but was unable to sleep. About 20 minutes prior to landing, the victim felt her right breast being grabbed again. She jumped up and shouted loudly, “Oh my god!” She then informed the flight attendant, who spoke to Bratcher and notified the flight deck and Continental Airlines’ Security.

A second woman also came forward and alleged Bracher had touched her after the first victim reported the incident. The second victim said she fell asleep and was suddenly awakened by an “impact” to her right breast. She woke up and realized someone had grabbed her right breast. “Victim #2 described the impact as a quick grab, but it felt as if someone’s entire hand covered her right breast,” Luke said.

Bratcher denied the allegation during an interview the next day, but refused to take a polygraph. “This is bad because I don’t touch peoples breast,” Bratcher said.

“During the interview, Bratcher referred to himself as being a ‘dickhead.’ Bratcher then claimed he did not do anything wrong, even though he agreed it was a good question why someone would accuse him of such a thing,” Luke wrote. “According to Bratcher, he got on the plane, sat down, talked to [the] guy next to him, drank a few drinks, he was not unruly, and he did not exhibit dickhead behavior – even though he previously stated he was a dickhead.”

Bratcher said he does not do “stuff like that” and stated, “If anyone were to ever say that about me, I would feel disgraced and be harmed by it.” Luke also observed Bratcher as he made a phone call to his fiance, who he told, “We’re going to see if this doesn’t just magically go away.”

“I am not a pervert,” Bratcher said before he was transported to the Santa Ana Jail, where he remains in police custody on behalf of the federal government.

Bratcher made an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Tuesday afternoon and was remanded to federal custody.

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MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY (BNO NEWS) — A small plane crashed in a wooded area near Monmouth Executive Airport in New Jersey on Monday, federal officials said.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Jim Peters said the plane crashed near Wall Township before 4 p.m. local time. He said at least two people had been confirmed dead and three others remain missing.

It was not immediately clear what type of plane was involved and how many passengers were on board.

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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY (BNO NEWS) – A Kansas City fugitive was arrested by the FBI Task Force in a motel at Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday morning, Special Agent in Charge Kevin Cruise announced.

Nathaniel A. Brown, 28, is wanted for second degree murder and armed criminal action in Jackson County, Missouri. Brown allegedly killed a man with a .22 caliber pistol on a Kansas City street on September 13, 2009. Kansas City Police linked Brown to the crime and issued a state warrant.

The defendant fled to New Jersey and investigators requested the FBI’s assistance. The case was handed to the FBI Task Force in Atlantic City. They worked closely with local police forces and managed to locate and subsequently capture Brown in a nearby motel.

“It is a fine example of teamwork that is most needed among law enforcement agencies. The arrest was made without any injuries to the police or public,” John Mooney, Chief of the Atlantic City Police Department said.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – President Obama on Friday declared a major disaster exists in the State of New Jersey and ordered federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas struck by severe winter storms.

The declaration makes federal funding available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the snowstorm in various New Jersey counties.

In addition, assistance is available to State and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including snow assistance, for a continuous 48-hour period.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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