Two men have been sentenced by a federal court in Arizona for conspiring to illegally export weapons tied to an alleged coup effort in South Sudan, authorities confirmed.
Prosecutors said the case underscores ongoing U.S. efforts to curb unlawful arms trafficking and prevent foreign political violence fueled by illicit weapons transfers.
According to ktar.com, the two men are 42-year-old Peter Biar Ajak, who is from Maryland, and 46-year-old Abraham Chol Keech, who is from Utah, according to the Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona said the Ajak plotted to seize political power in South Sudan.
“The defendants in this case sought to bypass U.S. export control laws, with Mr. Ajak directing a conspiracy that amassed a $4 million arsenal of military-grade weapons intended to effect a coup d’état in South Sudan,” Courchaine said in an announcement.
Ajak is a leading South Sudanese academic and activist living in exile in the U.S., according to The Associated Press. He said South Sudan’s president wanted him abducted or killed, prompting the American government to help him flee.
After hiding in Kenya with his family, Ajak relocated to Maryland, where the U.S. issued emergency visas to support their move.
Prosecutors said the two men tried to illegally purchase the export-controlled, military-grade weapons without the required export licenses between February 2023 and March 2024. Some of the weapons and ammunition included:
- 10 Stinger missile systems
- 200 grenade launchers
- 1,000+ machine guns and rifles
- Over 3.5 million rounds of ammunition
They discussed paying bribes and disguising the weapons as humanitarian aid, even creating a fake invoice to hide the source and purpose of the funds used to purchase and smuggle the weapons through financial institutions. Their goal was to install Ajak as the president of South Sudan.
How much prison time will South Sudan coup culprits get?
The two men previously pleaded guilty to violating two acts:
- Conspiracy to Violate the Arms Export Control Act
- Conspiracy to Violate the Export Control Reform Act
The judge sentenced Ajak to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Keech, his co-defendant, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
As part of their plea agreement, Ajak and Keech agreed to forfeit nearly $2 million they raised to pay for the weapons, which the U.S. seized.
