The Nation - News from June 2, 1989

A New York man became the first American sentenced to prison under a federal law barring citizens from doing business with the government or government-owned enterprises of South Africa. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Costantino sentenced Robert Fessler, 43, formerly president of Air Ground Equipment Sales Inc. in West Babylon, N.Y., to three months in prison, 33 months probation and a $100,000 fine for violating the 1986 Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act. Fessler was convicted of conspiring to buy and import four jet engines from South African Airways, the government-owned airline of the white-ruled nation. Air Ground Equipment Sales also pleaded guilty to selling parts to the airline and agreed to pay $1 million and forfeit the four engines.