Russian Arms Trafficker Viktor Bout Gets 25 Years in US Prison

 　　A federal judge in New York Thursday sentenced Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout¹ to 25 years in prison for conspiring² to sell weapons to a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist group based in Colombia.

　　U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin could have sentenced Bout to three life terms for his conviction on four counts of conspiracy³ to kill Americans, to sell anti-aircraft missiles, and to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

　　She chose instead to depart from sentencing guidelines, imposing⁴ 15-year terms on three counts and a required 25-year-minimum for a fourth, all to serve concurrently⁵.  The judge also ordered Bout to forfeit⁶ $15 million dollars, an amount equivalent to the value of the arms he had offered to sell U.S. informants posing as rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

　　The judge said she was imposing the lighter⁷ sentences because Bout was arrested in a U.S. sting operation in 2008 and had never before expressed any interest in harming Americans.

　　Before the Drug Enforcement Administration went after Bout, she said, there was no evidence that Bout had broken U.S. laws or those of any other country - although he had violated international laws in his past arms dealing⁸, she said, and was a dangerous man.

　　The judge said it was not clear if Bout was even still in the arms trade for several years before he traveled to Thailand to meet with DEA confidential⁹ informants posing as FARC rebels who had offered to pay him millions for arms.

　　Before the sentencing, Bout addressed the judge, repeating his claims of innocence¹⁰, and turned to wag his finger at the DEA agent in charge of the case, saying, "Let God forgive you and you will answer to him, not to me."

　　Kathi Lynn Austin, an arms control advocate, said that the trial did not address Bout's past dealing arms in conflict regions in Africa -- or his air cargo¹¹ contracts with the U.S. government during the Iraq war, even after United Nations sanctions against him in 2004.

　　"The most disappointing aspect of the trial is that it doesn't set any precedent¹² for what we need to do to go after criminal arms traffickers in the future.  The prosecution's decision to hide the past of what activities had been committed on U.S. soil, possibly hiding previous U.S. government collusion with Viktor Bout, actually worked against them," Austin said.

　　Bout's attorney, Albert Dayan, said that Bout would appeal his conviction.  An official for Russia's consulate¹³ in New York refused to comment after the sentencing, although Russia's government has urged Bout's release.

1 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

2 conspiring   

密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
• John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

3 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

4 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

5 concurrently   

adv.同时地

参考例句：

• He was given two twelve month sentences to run concurrently. 他两罪均判12个月监禁，同期执行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was given two prison sentences, to run concurrently. 他两罪均判监禁，同期执行。 来自辞典例句

6 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

7 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

10 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

11 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

12 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

13 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。