Stroudsburg man convicted of torturing worker in Iraq

STROUDSBURG, PA – Ross Roggio of Stroudsburg, PA, has been sentenced to 70 years in prison for committing heinous acts in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

This groundbreaking sentence follows the second-ever conviction under the federal torture statute, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to court documents, Roggio arranged for Kurdish soldiers to kidnap and hold the victim at a Kurdish military compound, where Roggio, 55, suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his fingers and ordered the soldiers to beat him repeatedly. , suffocation, tase and other physical and mental abuse of the victim for 39 days.

The victim worked in a weapons factory that Roggio was developing in Iraq. In connection with that project, Roggio exported firearms parts and tools without the required U.S. government approval. He also illegally trained foreigners in the operation and manufacture of the M4 automatic rifle.

The torture and arms export violations were investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

“The sentence imposed by the court demonstrates the seriousness of Ross Roggio’s crimes and brings a measure of justice to his torture victim,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Violence against the dignity and human rights of any victim cannot be tolerated and our office will continue to prioritize and prosecute those who would do so in violation of federal law.”