Summary

On February 5, 2014, in United States District Court, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Javier Alexander Zapata-Isaza, a Colombian National employed by a foreign repair station operating in Colombia, was charged with making false statements to the FAA. It is alleged Zapata-Isaza knowingly possessed a fraudulently issued FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanics Certificate.

By falsely obtaining an FAA A&P Certificate, Zapata-Isaza was authorized to conduct maintenance on commercial aircraft without having the proper training and experience normally required for a valid certificate.

We investigated this case jointly with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with significant assistance from FAA's Security Division and Airman Registry Branch.

Note:  Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.