US District Judge Jodi Dishman on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Olukayode Ojo, a 36-year-old Nigerian pilot for making false statements in order to obtain a certificate from Federal Aviation Administration.
Ojo, who is facing a five-year jail term in Texas, United States, was found guilty and has been detained until his sentencing.
US Attorney Robert Troester, announced Ojo’s conviction on Monday through a statement on the FAA’s official website, revealing that Ojo had been attempting to obtain a medical certificate necessary for piloting a commercial passenger aircraft, which led to his conviction on August 16, 2024.
Troester noted that the case was part of an investigation by the Transportation Security Administration—Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson Eldridge and Matt Dillon.
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.”
The convict faces a potential sentence of up to five years in federal prison, along with fines of up to $250,000 for each count.
