NEW YORK, March 28 (UPI) -- Brothers Rex and Wilfredo Maralit, one a former New York City police officer and the other a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, were sentenced to three years for illegally exporting military-grade firearms to the Philippines over a period of some four years.

From January 2009 to September 2013, the brothers purchased and sent to the Philippines a variety of weapons, high-capacity magazines and other accessories, the Department of Justice said. Authorities said they used their credentials to ship the weapons without getting the required license from the State Department. The men pleaded guilty in June to violating export laws.


Rex Maralit of Lawrenceville, N.J., 46, was an 11-year veteran of the New York Police Department and Wilfredo Maralit of Garden Grove, Calif., 49, was a Customs and Border Protection officer at Los Angeles International Airport for nine years. A third brother connected to the case, Ariel Maralit, lives in the Philippines and is considered a fugitive for his role, prosecutors said.

"These defendants violated their sworn duties to uphold the law, abusing their positions of trust to profit from the illegal export of extremely dangerous weapons," U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said. "Today's sentences send a powerful message that criminal conduct by police officers, federal agents, and their confederates will not be tolerated, and that no one, least of all those entrusted to protect the communities and the country they serve, is above the law."

Court papers revealed Rex Maralit relied on his police department credentials, including listing his shield number on federal forms, to get discounts on weapons. Wilfredo Maralit told weapons distributors he was purchasing ammunition magazines for the border protection agency. Items purchased included semi-automatic rifles, assault rifles and pistols designed to fire body-armor penetrating bullets.

At the sentencing, Rex Maralit said he started the gun-trade business to make extra money for his family and hoped to make the business legitimate one day.

"I was blind to allow myself to believe that I was merely avoiding red tape," he said. "I ruined my dignity, honor and good reputation."

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