LOS ANGELES (AP) — A physicist has been sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and fined $20,000 for illegally exporting tiny electronic components to Israel, which could be used as triggers for nuclear weapons.

Richard Kelly Smyth, 72, who spent 16 years as a fugitive, was immediately made eligible for parole at Monday's sentencing.

Smyth pleaded guilty in December to one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act and a count of making a false statement to Customs agents. Prosecutors dropped 28 other counts. He was president of Milco International Inc. of Huntington Beach when the krytrons were sold to an Israeli company, Heli Corp.