Miami Aviation Execs Sentenced for Aircraft Parts Scam

Miami Aviation Execs Sentenced for Aircraft Parts Scam

Daniel Navarro, 50, of Miami Lakes, Florida, the former Vice President of Sofly Aviation Services (Sofly), and Jorge Guerrero, 71, of Hialeah, Florida, a Procurement & Asset Management Specialist for Sofly, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a brazen aircraft parts scam.

According to court records, Navarro and Guerrero conspired to defraud the United States by purchasing ‘as removed’ aircraft parts and reselling them with false certificates claiming they were airworthy under the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The duo would often use an FAA-approved repair station’s certificate number to falsely certify the parts as overhauled, tested, or inspected, when in fact they had never been. This deceitful practice misled buyers, including Canadian airlines and a U.S. Department of Defense contractor, into believing the parts were airworthy.

U.S. District Senior Judge Federico A. Moreno handed down the sentences: 30 months in prison for Navarro, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release; and 12 months and 1 day in prison for Guerrero, also with 36 months of supervised release. The two were ordered to pay no less than $204,055 in joint and several restitution, and Navarro’s property was subject to a $93,309.22 forfeiture order.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Keller prosecuted the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco handling asset forfeiture.

Navarro and Guerrero’s scheme reeked of greed and disregard for the safety of others. Their actions put the lives of air passengers and military personnel at risk, and they must face the consequences of their crimes.

The sentences imposed serve as a stark reminder that corporate greed and deception will not be tolerated in our country. The justice system has spoken, and Navarro and Guerrero will spend time behind bars for their roles in this aircraft parts scam.