Lied To Get Credentialed at Logan Airport
An East Boston man was sentenced
yesterday in federal court for making false statements to obtain
employment at Logan International Airport.
United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan announced that Martin
Gonzalez, a citizen of Mexico, age 36, , was sentenced by US
District Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served -- 5 days' imprisonment.
Gonzalez pleaded guilty on February 10, 2004, to making false
statements. As a result of the conviction, Gonzalez may be subject
to deportation to his native Mexico.
At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had
the case proceeded to trial the Government's evidence would have
proven that on or about October 12, 2000, Gonzalez obtained
employment with Precision Cleaning Company, Inc. Precision Cleaning
Company provides a variety of services within the Secure
Identification Display Area ("SIDA") at Logan International
Airport. The SIDA area at Logan Airport includes all high security
property and areas of the airport including, but not limited to
portions of the terminals and baggage areas, as well as cargo
facilities, areas beyond pre- departure passenger security
screening checkpoints, a/k/a "sterile areas," jet ways, and the
Airport Operations Area ("AOA"), i.e. the tarmac, runways, and
airfield. An individual having AOA privileges is said to have "ramp
access" to the airfield areas where aircraft are stored and
maintained.
As a condition of employment with
Precision Cleaning Company, Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA")
regulations require each employee working in the SIDA at Logan
Airport, possess a SIDA access badge which are issued and
controlled by the Massachusetts Port Authority ("MassPort"). To
obtain a SIDA access badge an employee must truthfully complete,
sign and submit an "Application for Unescorted Access Privileges at
Logan International Airport", which is also known as a Form UA1, to
MassPort. FAA regulations prohibit any person from making
fraudulent or intentionally false statements in any application for
an access or identification badge.
On or about October 12, 2000, Gonzalez completed and submitted a
signed Form UA1 to MassPort, in order to obtain a SIDA access badge
to work at Logan Airport. Specifically, Gonzalez provided personal
identifying information, which included a false social security
card and a fake alien registration card, (also known as a "green
card"), in the name of Martin Gonzalez - Arciniega. Gonzalez
additionally falsely indicated on the Form UA1 that he was either a
United States citizen, or an alien with employment authorization or
an alien registration card.
Based on the false information provided by Gonzalez in his Form
UA1, MassPort issued him a Logan Airport SIDA access badge as an
employee of Precision Cleaning Company on or about October 25,
2000. The SIDA badge allowed Gonzalez access to high security areas
such as the airport terminals, sterile areas, as well as the
Airport Operations Area.