Prison Time For Former Airline Mechanic Caught Smuggling Cocaine | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.05.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.06.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.07.25

Airborne-Unlimited-05.01.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.02.25

Thu, Sep 12, 2024

Prison Time For Former Airline Mechanic Caught Smuggling Cocaine

Financial Trouble Becomes The Least Of His Concerns

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that former American Airlines mechanic Paul Belloisi of Smithtown, New York, was sentenced to 9 years in prison for his actions in connection with a conspiracy to import cocaine.

The announcement was made by Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York, and Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). U.S. District Judge Dora L. Irizarry issued the sentence in the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.

The case broke open when a routine inspection by CBP of an American Airlines flight after arriving at JFK International Airport in New York found about 25 pounds of cocaine bricks in a compartment beneath the cockpit. Agents replaced the cocaine with fake bricks and sprayed them with a substance that glows under illumination by an ultraviolet (UV) light.

Agents then placed the aircraft under surveillance and just before its scheduled next takeoff, Belloisi was observed driving to the aircraft and pulling himself into the compartment. When Belloisi was confronted, law enforcement saw his gloves glow under the UV light. After a week-long trial, Belloisi was convicted in May 2023. It was disclosed in court that Belloisi had filed for bankruptcy in 2020 but he now faces a much larger challenge ahead. The federal agents called him a corrupt inside man who put his personal gain ahead of the safety of the aviation industry.

Agent McCormack said, “His demise should send a message to anyone attempting to exploit the aviation industry.”

FMI:  www.justice.gov/

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.05.25): Circle To Runway (Runway Number)

Circle To Runway (Runway Number) Used by ATC to inform the pilot that he/she must circle to land because the runway in use is other than the runway aligned with the instrument appr>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.05.25)

Aero Linx: National Aviation Safety Foundation (NASF) The National Aviation Safety Foundation is a support group whose objective is to enhance aviation safety through educational p>[...]

NTSB Prelim: De Havilland DHC-1

At Altitude Of About 250-300 Ft Agl, The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power On November 6, 2024, at 1600 central standard time, a De Havilland DHC-1, N420TD, was inv>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: The Boeing Dreamliner -- Historic First Flight Coverage

From 2009 (YouTube Edition): Three Hour Flight Was 'Flawless' -- At Least, Until Mother Nature Intervened For anyone who loves the aviation business, this was a VERY good day. Afte>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 05.06.25: AF Uncrewed Fighters, Drones v Planes, Joby Crew Test

Also: AMA Names Tyler Dobbs, More Falcon 9 Ops, Firefly Launch Unsuccessful, Autonomous F-16s The Air Force has begun ground testing a future uncrewed jet design in a milestone tow>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC