9th Circuit Vacates Sentencing in Missile Sale Conviction Due to Wrong Venue

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit vacated the sentencing of a Jordanian-born U.S. citizen for illicit arms dealings in guided surface-to-air missiles due to a venue error, in an April 12 opinion. Finding that the District Court for the Central District of California was not the proper court to challenge Rami Ghanem for the alleged conspiracy to deal the missiles, the 9th Circuit vacated the sentencing and remanded the case. Ghanem was first arrested in Greece, then extradited to New York, making the Eastern District of New York the proper home for the case, the 9th Circuit said.