But prosecutors argued that Sadeghi knowingly duped his employer, Norwood-based Analog Devices Inc., into sending sensitive technology to Iran through a front company in Switzerland and would likely flee to Iran if released.
Sadeghi’s codefendant, Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, also known as Mohammad Abedini, 38, who was arrested in Italy last month, was released Sunday and returned to Iran after Italian officials denied a request by the US government to extradite him to Massachusetts. He now remains beyond the reach of US law enforcement.
On Tuesday, US Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell took the request to release Sadeghi under advisement.
Sadeghi’s wife was among a group of friends and family who showed up in court to support him and watched as he was led away in handcuffs.
Sadeghi pleaded not guilty to a 10-count indictment charging him with conspiracy and violating export laws.
Abedini is accused of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death and conspiracy, as well as violations of US export laws and regulations.
A drone attacked Tower 22, a US military base in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024, killing three service members and wounding more than 40 others.
The FBI recovered the drone used in the attack and traced the navigational system to Abedini’s company in Iran, San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co., or SDRA, which has sold them to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for more than a decade, according to the indictment.
In 2019, Abedini created a front company in Switzerland called Illumove, S.A. to evade US sanctions and export restrictions, the indictment alleges. That same year, Sadeghi began working for ADI and introduced the company to Abedini and Illumove, which later signed a contract with the Massachusetts company to develop an evaluation board to test inertial sensors similar to those used in SDRA’s navigation systems, according to the indictment. Sadeghi was a backup support engineer on the project.
In court Tuesday, Christina Clark, a Justice Department trial attorney, said the government does not allege that Sadeghi exported parts used “in that particular drone” but alleges he knew that Abedini manufactured components for the Iranian military.
She urged the judge to detain Sadeghi until the case is resolved, arguing that he would likely flee to Iran, where he has family and “skills that we know would be highly valuable over there.”
Referring to Sadeghi’s work at ADI, Clark said Sadeghi “has the keys to the kingdom” and has information about obtaining and shipping technology that “is incredibly helpful to the Iranian regime.”
But attorney Jessica Thrall, who represents Sadeghi, said there’s no evidence that Sadeghi was aware that Abedini was allegedly sending technology to the Iranian military.
She described Sadeghi as a devoted father, whose two young children have been devastated by his detention. She provided 34 letters of support for Sadeghi from friends, neighbors, and former colleagues.
Sadeghi “would never uproot his children and take them somewhere else,” she said.
Sadeghi came to the United States with a student visa in 2007, received his doctorate degree in 2014 from the University of Michigan, and settled in Massachusetts with his wife that year, according to his lawyers.
Shelley Murphy can be reached at shelley.murphy@globe.com. Follow her @shelleymurph.