Convicted Of Using Imaginary 'CQ Air' As A Front For Prostitution

Roger Sedlak's regional airlines started raising eyebrows back in 2006. "CQ Air" was said to be a start-up based in Harrisburg, PA which would serve destinations throughout the northeast US. Over time, curious passengers, economic development officials and others started asking, "Where are the airplanes?"

Sedlak had enough knowledge of airline terms to create believable job postings for pilots. One said he showed up for an interview with the company at Harrisburg International Airport and was directed to a room with a hand-written paper "CQ Airlines" sign taped to the door. The Albany Times-Union reports Sedlak received $75,000 in federal funds from the FAA and $12,500 each from two unnamed counties to aid in the start-up.

Finally, in March of 2009, as ANN reported, undercover deputies from the Albany County Sheriff's Department, posing as customers, responded to Sedlak's advertisements for an escort service called Diamond Escorts on Craig's List.

They arranged to meet at a Hampton Inn in Latham. Several women were arrested on misdemeanor charges of prostitution. Federal prosecutors say they determined there was never any actual airline. The US Attorney's office in Harrisburg, PA said, "Using various aliases, he would rent rooms at a variety of local hotels claiming that he was using them for airline business."

The feds brought charges against Sedlak, his wife and Kelli Kaylor, an alleged third conspirator described as Sedlak's partner, alleging that CQ Air was never a real airline, but rather was an elaborate front for a prostitution operation. The three each faced up to each face up to 35 years in prison on charges of "transporting and causing the transportation in interstate commerce of an individual with the intent that the individual engage in prostitution, persuading and enticing an individual to engage in interstate travel for the purpose of prostitution, and conspiracy to commit those offenses."

The case wrapped up last week. The Morning Call newspaper of Allentown, Pennsylvania reports US District Judge William Caldwell sentenced Sedlak last week to 12 years in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release, after involving as many as 42 women in the online prostitution ring.

According to the Harrisburg Patriot-News, Sedlak, who is now 50 years old, got choked up while pleading with the judge at his sentencing. "The people who came to work for us, they were wonderful people," he said.  "They were never prostitutes. They were hard-working women who had no choice but to raise money the way we did. We gave them a good place to work. It was safe."

FMI: http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=6A7A0AF9-0957-4A4F-899A-9285CD2A32C7&Dynamic=1