San Diego

One of the nine defendants convicted of selling stolen Navy jet equipment to Iran lost an attempt Monday to have his sentence reduced.

Pedro Quito, 61, who was one of the first to plead guilty and cooperate with the government in its case against the others, is serving a federal prison term of one year and one day.

Godfrey Duke Jr., Quito’s attorney, had asked U.S. District Judge Leland Nielsen to sentence Quito to the six months he has already served in prison or to house him at a residential center.

The motion was opposed by Assistant U.S. Atty. Charles Crandall, who described the one-year sentence as being “extremely fair.” Crandall noted that Quito “did cooperate substantially with the government” after his plea.

Duke also asked Nielsen to vacate a $10,000 fine against Quito, but the judge declined.

Quito was a Navy warehouse worker and confessed to stealing more than $300,000 in F-14 jet fighter parts from North Island Naval Air Station.

The longest sentence imposed was 18 years against one of the ringleaders, Edgardo Agustin. His brother, Franklin, received a 10-year sentence Feb. 9.

The judge also is considering a request to reduce the six-year sentence of Primitivo Cayabyab, 37.