A Chinese student in the United States on Tuesday pleaded guilty to attempting to illegally export to China some high-tech sensors that are used in the defense industry, a New Mexico federal prosecutor confirmed.

The man, who was on a student visa in the U.S., was identified as 30-year-old Wentong Cai and will be serving 18 months in prison. He and his cousin, Bo Cai, 29, traveled to New Mexico last December 2013 and allegedly obtained the sensor from undercover agents of the United States Department of Homeland Security.

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Cai was then a graduate student at Iowa State University and was studying microbiology and his cousin was working at a technology company in China.

Bo was arrested in Los Angeles days after he met with the agents and as he prepared to board a flight to China with the sensor disguised as a computer speaker. He has pleaded guilty to the accusations this year and will be facing around 20 years in prison.

As for Wentong, he was arrested last January in Ames, Iowa and was enlisted by Bo to be the one responsible for the sensors. Bo said Wentong planned to the sensors for his research at Iowa State University.

According to the U.S. attorney, Damon Martinez, protecting the national security and the technology of the country from disclosure to foreign countries is one of the top priorities of the Justice Department.

Martinez adds that the prosecution of the Chinese cousins demonstrates the federal law enforcement and the commitment of the community to safeguard the military secrets of the nation. This is also an effort by the officials to keep America's critical technology from falling into the hands of the wrong people. 

Tagsguilty, arms export, smuggling, Chinese student, U.S. arms export, illegal export