A federal judge has sentenced former Clark Material Handling Co executive Robert E Quinn to 39 months' prison after a long, emotional hearing.

Quinn, 55, of Lexington, was also fined USD6,600 for violating a US trade embargo in his role in shipping USD32,000 of forklift parts to Iran, The Lexington Herald Leader reported (Forkliftaction.com News #238).

He broke down in court and expressed remorse for his actions.

"I'm sorry. I do regret it ... I think about it all the time. I look back, and I say why did I do that? Why didn't I just walk away, let other Clark people handle it?

"We could have just let them take their business somewhere else," Quinn told the court.

US district judge John D Bates said the offence was "very serious" and the sentence would deter future similar attempts by companies.

Bates said the effect of the forklift parts sales on national security was minimal but violating the embargo was a national security breach.

The trade embargo was imposed after the US embassy in Tehran, Iran, was seized in 1979.

Bates agreed to a request that Quinn be sent to a minimum-security prison and continued Quinn's release on a USD60,000 bond until he determined whether Quinn could remain free for the time it took for an appeal.

Quinn's family declined to comment on the sentencing.