Olukayode Ojo, a 36-year-old Nigerian national, faces a potential five-year prison sentence after a Texas, USA, court found him guilty of providing false information to obtain a certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to information obtained by Persecondnews on Wednesday, US District Judge Jodi Dishman ordered Ojo’s detention pending his sentencing following the guilty verdict.
On Monday, U.S. Attorney Robert Troester announced Ojo’s conviction on the FAA’s website, revealing that Ojo’s attempt to secure a medical certificate for commercial flights led to his August 16, 2024, conviction.
Troester stated that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mr. Jackson Eldridge and Mr. Matt Dillon prosecuted the case as part of the Transportation Security Administration—Investigations.
He said: “On June 4, 2024, a federal jury returned a two-count superseding indictment against Ojo, charging him with two counts of making a false statement. On August 16, 2024, a federal jury found Ojo guilty on both counts.
“Evidence presented at trial indicated that Ojo, an FAA-certified commercial airline pilot, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanour theft charges on February 8, 2023, in Kentucky state court in connection with a theft of passenger luggage from the baggage carousels at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
“Ojo then made false statements to the FAA in March 2023 and March 2024 while applying for an FAA First Class Medical Certificate to conceal his history of prior criminal convictions. A First Class Medical Certificate permits an airman to pilot commercial passenger aircraft.”
Depending on the court’s decision, Ojo could receive a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each count.
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