LOS ANGELES—A former member of the United States military who lived in Corona was sentenced on June 23 to 27 months in prison for conspiring to unlawfully export to Russia thermal imaging riflescopes, night vision goggles, and other defense items without a license in violation of federal law.
Igor Panchernikov, 41, who once served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge André Birotte Jr., according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Panchernikov pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act. He has been in federal custody since July 2022 after Israel extradited him to the United States.
From December 2016 to May 2018, Panchernikov conspired with other individuals to knowingly export from the U.S. to Russia defense articles without obtaining from the State Department a valid license or other approval for such exports.
Panchernikov’s accomplices purchased defense articles—including thermal riflescopes, weapons sights, monoculars, and night vision goggles—from various online sellers located in the U.S. and directed the sellers to mail those items to Panchernikov’s residence in Riverside County, according to federal prosecutors.
After receiving the items, Panchernikov mailed two of the items under fictitious sender names to accomplices in Russia and mailed 17 defense articles to Elena Shifrin, 61, of Mundelein, Illinois, who then mailed these items to Russia.
Shifrin pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one federal count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act. Her sentencing hearing is expected in the coming months.
Vladimir Pridacha, 58, of Volo, Illinois, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in the case and has an Aug. 29 trial date scheduled.
Two other defendants—Boris Polosin, of Russia, and Vladimir Gohman, of Israel—are fugitives, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
