Summary

On September 20, Thomas Charbonneau, owner of Carlsbad Aircraft Sales, Carlsbad, CA, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in San Diego to a charge of conspiracy to make false statements or writings. Charbonneau admitted making payments of $100 - $200 each to an unindicted co-conspirator (who holds an FAA Inspection Authorization) in order to obtain certified annual maintenance inspections on eight aircraft, when these inspections were never performed. Sentencing for Charbonneau is scheduled for December 12, 2005. The ongoing investigation is being conducted jointly with the FBI.