Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., 65, known by the call sign "Runner," was arrested Wednesday in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and criminally charged for the alleged violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The accusations date back to August 2023, according to the Department of Justice, when he allegedly conspired with foreign nationals and U.S. persons to provide combat aircraft training to pilots in the Chinese Air Force, also known as the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

Since Brown is a U.S. citizen and that particular training was a defense service conducted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, he lacked the required license from the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to provide that training to foreign persons or foreign military units.

Brown was scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Indiana on Thursday.