Ex-Navy SEAL gets nearly 18 years in weapons case

Published: July 17, 2012, 11:40 a.m. MDT

FILE - An Oct. 7, 2011 file photo shows Petty Officer Nicholas Bickle in Las Vegas. Bickle will learn his legal fate in Las Vegas Tuesday, July 17, 2012 after his conviction last year on 13 federal conspiracy and arms trafficking charges. Bickle, of San Diego, is expected to get less than 20 years in prison at sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File) A 34-year-old former U.S. Navy SEAL who deployed twice to Iraq will learn his legal fate in Las Vegas after his conviction last year on 13 federal conspiracy and arms trafficking charges. Nicholas Bickle of San Diego is expected to get less than 20 years in prison at sentencing Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt. Julie Jacobson, File, Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — A former U.S. Navy SEAL commando has been sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison for heading a scheme to sell machine guns, explosives and military hardware from Iraq and Afghanistan in the United States.

Nicholas Bickle was also sentenced Tuesday to three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt in Las Vegas.

A federal jury found the 34-year-old Bickle guilty last October of 13 federal conspiracy and arms trafficking charges.

He returned home to San Diego where he received an "other than honorable" military discharge and surrendered to federal authorities.

Convicted former co-defendants Richard Paul of Durango, Colo., and Andrew Kaufman of Las Vegas face sentencing Wednesday.

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They cooperated with prosecutors, along with Las Vegas resident Omar Aguirre (ah-GEER'-ee). He's serving five years in prison.

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