LOCAL NEWS

YUKON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO COMPUTER ACCESS FRAUD IN CONNECTION WITH SCHEME TO MISREPRESENT FAA MECHANIC CERTIFICATION TO LOCAL AVIATION COMPANY


OKLAHOMA CITY – GORDON BELLAMY, JR., 42, of Yukon, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty earlier this week to computer access fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On August 17, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Bellamy for alleged offenses while he was employed by Ally Aerospace Services as a contractor for AAR Corporation.  The Indictment alleged that Bellamy worked as an aircraft maintenance mechanic at the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and that he supervised mechanic crews responsible for removing and reattaching panels as part of the maintenance of commercial aircraft.  Under Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) regulations, supervising employees must be certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanics.  According to the Indictment, in October of 2018, Bellamy illegally accessed an FAA database that contained records of all Airframe and Powerplant mechanic’s certificates, obtained a certificate belonging to another licensed mechanic, and falsely presented it to his employer as his own.

Count 1 charged Bellamy with wire fraud, and Count 2 charged him with computer access fraud.  Count 3 alleged Bellamy committed aggravated identity theft.   

On October 3, 2022, Bellamy pleaded guilty to computer access fraud before U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman.  As part of the plea hearing, Bellamy admitted that he intentionally accessed an FAA computer and obtained information from the FAA in furtherance of his scheme to defraud his employer, by misrepresenting himself as a certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic.

At sentencing, Bellamy will face up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. As part of the plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss at sentencing the remaining counts of the indictment.  A sentencing date will be set by the court.  Bellamy has been in federal custody since his arrest on August 23, 2022.

This case is a result of an investigation by the United States Department of Transportation-Office of the Inspector General.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.