Owner Was Selling The Plane To One Of The People Now Facing Federal Drug Charges

The owner of a 1946 Beech Bonanza that went down in Medford, OR over the weekend was apparently stolen ... or at least being used without the owner's knowledge.

Television station KBOI in Boise, ID reports that the airplane went down after hitting a tree on Saturday. The two occupants of the plane sustained only minor injuries, and are now facing felony charges of exporting marijuana and marijuana possession.

The registered owner of the plane is Lamon Loucks, who told the station that he did not know his plane was not tied down at Caldwell Industrial Airport (KEUL) in Caldwell, OR, until he was contacted by reporters from the station. He was out of state in Nevada, and saw a report about the accident on TV. He said he thought it looked like his airplane, but had no idea it was not where it was supposed to be. It was last reported being tied down in Caldwell on March 29.

Loucks, a realtor, had acquired the plane in a foreclosure deal. Matthew Thompson, one of the men now facing charges, had given him $10,000 as a down payment towards the $20,000 purchase price. "I was waiting for the last half of the payment," he told KBOI.

Federal charges are pending against Thompson and Zachary Moore, both of Boise, ID.

(Image from Medford Police Facebook page)

FMI: Source report