OHIO — An Ivorian national has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to a firearms trafficking conspiracy, according to a spokesperson with the United States Attorney, Northern District of Ohio.
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Bile Jean Philippe Assemian, 49, of Côte d’Ivoire, is accused of trying to smuggle dozens of guns out of the United States and to Africa.
Assemian was extradited to the United States after being arrested in Kenya in June, the spokesperson said.
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He’s facing conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States charges and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.
Assemian’s alleged co-conspirator Koffi Andrea Versaint Taregue, 45, an Ivorian national, remains at large, the spokesperson said.
Taregue faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to smuggle goods, smuggling firearms, and making false statements. If convicted, he could face over 200 years in prison.
The superseding indictment indicates that the men obtained at least 58 guns from Northern Ohio and elsewhere from November 2018 to October 2020.
They allegedly had other people buy the guns for them.
The spokesperson said the guns were allegedly packed and hidden in household goods.
The men used an export company to send the items out of the country, but didn’t disclose that the packages contained guns and related parts like suppressors.
The indictment adds that they didn’t have the required written approvals or licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce or U.S. Department of State to export the guns.
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