CAPTURED:  DOT-OIG Fugitive Arrested in Miami Beach, Florida

The flight from justice for Ricardo Amador Ballesteros Garcia ended on May 29, 2015, when he was apprehended at his Miami Beach condominium after a tip alerted law enforcement to his presence.  Federal Agents transported Ballesteros to the Federal Detention Center in Miami.

On May 3, 2012, Ballesteros Garcia, a native of Cuba, also known as Alejandro Alvarez Abreu, was indicted on charges of operating an aircraft without a valid FAA airman certificate, and with making false statements to several law enforcement and government officials as to his true identity.  He was also charged with conspiracy and bank fraud in an unrelated large-scale mortgage fraud scheme.  

The charges allege that on or about May 6, 2007, Ballesteros Garcia operated a US registered aircraft as an Airman Private Pilot, without a valid airman certificate as required by the FAA.  He landed the aircraft at a private airstrip in Miami. Florida, and when questioned by DHS Special Agents, he falsely identified himself as Alejandro Alvarez.  Subsequently, Ballesteros Garcia reported, in person, to the FAA local office and again falsely identified himself as Alvarez Abreu.  Almost one year later, in April 2008, Ballesteros Garcia was questioned by a USDOT-OIG agent and again falsely identified himself as Alvarez Abreu. 

This investigation revealed through fingerprint and photographic analysis that Alvarez Abreu is a fraudulent identity of Ballesteros Garcia. 

We are working this investigation jointly with Homeland Security Investigations.