Kansas businessman pleads guilty in case over illegal export of aviation technology to Russia

Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas business executive has pleaded guilty to illegally exporting sensitive American aviation to Russian companies in violation of U.S. sanctions. Fifty-six-year-old Douglas Edward Robertson, who lives in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, is the second Kansas business executive to plead guilty to charges over the exports. Robertson entered his plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas, and his sentencing is set for Oct. 3. He pleaded guilty to four of the 26 counts against him and could face up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charges. An attorney for him declined to comment when reached Wednesday.