Deerfield Man Sentenced to Prison

A Deerfield man who has been in federal custody in New Jersey since September, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison Monday for exporting sensitive military technology to China and other offenses, according to a news release from a United States attorney in Newark.

Steve (“Sixing”) Liu, 49, was found guilty Sept. 25 of violating the Arms Export Control Act, stealing trade secrets and lying to federal agents, according to a report on Bloomberg. He is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, according to the release.

Earlier: Deerfield Man Indicted for Trade Secret Theft

“Instead of the accolades he sought from China, Sixing Liu today received the appropriate reward for his threat to our national security: 70 months in prison, Steve Fishman, the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, said in the release.

Fishman was particularly pleased with the outcome because he believes the United States is vulnerable to people who want to profit at the country’s expense.

“As an innovation leader, the United States is a target for those seeking to cut corners at the expense of American businesses and consumers,” Fishman said in the release. “As this sentence shows, the Department of Justice is making great progress in the fight against trade secret theft in order to protect the engines of our nation’s economic recovery.”

In 2010, Liu stole thousands of electronic files from L-3 Communications’ space and navigation division, his employer, detailing guidance systems for missiles, rockets, target locators and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the release. He did this to enhance future employment in China.

While on a trip to China, he made presentations at educational institutions there including the Chinese Academy of Sciences. After returning to the United States, Liu was found with the information on a personal computer, according to the release. He also lied to agents from the Department of Homeland Security about the situation.

Liu was also fined $15,000 and will serve three years of supervised release after leaving jail.

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