Austin Airport Workers Charged

They're accused of using false information to get security badges

Twenty-eight employees at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have been accused of using false information to obtain access badges for secure areas at ABIA.

Federal authorities arrested 15 of the defendants Tuesday as part of Operation Tarmac, designed to promote heightened security at U.S. airports. They made initial appearances Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Austin.

Arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining suspects, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The case stems from an investigation that began in October.

It's been some time since I've visited ABIA. I used to work at the ABIA Avis Rent-A-Car location and got to mess around near and around the terminal, but that was back in 2000 and 2001, well before 9/11.

...28 employees were discovered to have repeatedly lied to obtain security clearances. All had active security badges when they were charged. On Jan. 21, a federal grand jury handed up the sealed indictments.

[...]

The defendants are charged with obtaining access badges by providing false information on security clearance forms. The badges permit access to all restricted and secure areas at ABIA, including the control tower and the interior and cargo holds of airplanes.

Some of the defendants also are charged with using false Social Security numbers, fake visas and other false U.S. documents.

That last bit is interesting. I really want to know more about that.

Those arrested Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, are Francisco Bayona, 41; Servando Bueno, 21; Juan Armando Gonzalez, 37; Omar Gonzales, 25; Cristina Guerrero, 23; Jose Juarez, 28; Emmanuel Marin, 21; Luis C. Martinez, 23; Salatiel G. Martinez, 23; Luis Vaca Mendez, 24; Margarita Neave, 31; Espegal Rodriguez, 25; Hoguer Rodriguez, 22; Maria Emma Rodriguez, 27; and Eloy Vaca, 23.

So, what's up guys? What's with the weird behavior?

Posted by Drizzten at January 28, 2003 07:02 PM