Man Pleads Not Guilty to Selling Weapon Parts

An electronics engineer pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles on Monday to federal charges that he illegally sold to an Israeli company more than 800 miniature devices that can be used to trigger nuclear weapons.

Richard Kelly Smyth, 72, formerly of Huntington Beach, was extradited two weeks ago from Spain, where he had lived for 16 years as a fugitive.

Smyth fled the United States in 1985 before he was to go on trial on 15 counts of violating the Arms Export Control Act and 15 counts of making false statements.

A trial is scheduled Jan. 15.