3 Philippine men sentenced in US in weapons case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three Philippine nationals caught in a sting operation in their native country have been sentenced in Los Angeles for importing military-grade weapons to the United States.

The U.S. Justice Department says Sergio Syjuco was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison, Cesar Ubaldo received five years and Arjyl Revereza got 4½ years.

All three will spend up to three years under supervised release when they get out.

Last March a federal jury convicted the trio of conspiring to illegally import the weapons and aiding and abetting their importation to the U.S.

The men were indicted after authorities seized weapons at a Southern California port in 2011.

The weapons, including a grenade launcher, were sold to an undercover FBI agent who said he wanted high-powered arms for North American drug cartels.