All Quiet in the Russian Front: Stop Light Company Stopped

TX - If their website is any indication, Arc Electronics was apparently into a lot of things besides spying.

Sure, espionage is exciting and interesting and all, but bills have got to be paid. Those traffic lights aren't going to construct themselves -- though Arc sure as hell weren't selling anything to the city...

Federal court hearings regarding Arc's alleged spying begin today before U.S. District Judge George Hanks.

The charges involve illegally sending microelectronics to the Russian government, Russian military, and intelligence agencies. But while all that was allegedly going down, Alexander Fishenko, the company's owner, had a rather elaborate faux operation humming at a nondescript strip mall in southwest Houston.

Alex James, a receptionist at neighboring Modern Performance, said he never saw anyone coming in and out of their mutual alley and had no idea what was happening inside Arc Electronic. (more)