Reza Alavi Update. “Iranian engineer pleads guilty in nuke plant case,” from AP, June 25 (thanks to all who sent this in):
PHOENIX (AP) “” An Iranian engineer has pleaded guilty to transporting stolen property he obtained at a former job at the largest nuclear plant in the United States.
Mohammad Reza Alavi, 50, pleaded guilty to the charge in a deal reached Tuesday with federal prosecutors. Another charge against him was dropped.
A federal jury convicted Alavi last month of illegally accessing a protected computer but deadlocked on the two other counts.
He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison a Sept. 29 sentencing hearing.
“We are pleased to have achieved a resolution with the government which fits the case and which enables Mr. Alavi and his family to move forward with their lives,” defense attorney David Laufman said.
Alavi, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Iran, worked for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix for 17 years.
Authorities said when Alavi quit the station in 2006, he brought a laptop to Iran containing training software with design schematics and other details of the plant. His unauthorized use of the software did not contain enough information to pose a security threat, Palo Verde officials have said….