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Tyler man known as 'Asian Nazi' found guilty of multiple firearms violations

Heon "Hank" Jong Yoo of Tyler was deemed a risk to public safety, a flight risk, was involuntarily hospitalized for mental health issues.

SMITH COUNTY — Heon Jong Yoo, or "Hank Yoo," a 25-year-old Tyler man, was found guilty of seven counts of false statements made in connection with the transaction of firearms and unlawful possession by a prohibited person on Thursday.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Yoo's trial lasted three days.

According to court proceedings, Yoo was an undergraduate student at the University of Texas in Tyler.

He was a lawful permanent resident from South Korea who falsely represented that he was a United States citizen with respect to seven different firearms transactions, some of which involved semiautomatic weapons.

Yoo did so after having been involuntarily committed to a mental institution in the state of New Jersey in 2013 and again in 2015.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Yoo faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for each false statement charge and up to 10 years on the unlawful possession county at sentencing. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

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