Aircraft Parts Broker Ex VP Sentenced for $204,055 Aircraft Parts Fraud Scam

The corruption ran deep in the world of high-stakes aviation, where the truth was as cheap as a false certification. Former Vice President of Sofly Aviation Services, Daniel Navarro, 50, of Miami Lakes, Florida, and Jorge Guerrero, 71, of Hialeah, Florida, a Procurement & Asset Management Specialist for Sofly, have been brought to justice for their dirty scheme. They stood before U.S. District Senior Judge Federico A. Moreno, who sentenced them to federal prison for their crimes.

Navarro was handed a 30-month prison sentence, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay no less than $204,055 in joint and several restitution. Guerrero received a 12-month and 1-day prison sentence, also followed by 36 months of supervised release. A $93,309.22 forfeiture order was placed on Navarro’s property. These sentences are a direct result of their guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The scheme began in 2012 and continued until 2019. During this time, Navarro and Guerrero purchased “as removed” aircraft parts and resold them using certificates that falsely claimed the parts to be airworthy under the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These false certifications allowed them to sell the parts to unsuspecting buyers, including Canadian airlines and a U.S. Department of Defense contractor.

According to court records, the duo would often use an FAA-approved repair station’s FAA certificate number to falsely certify the part to have been overhauled, tested/inspected or repaired by that repair station, when in fact they never were. This brazen scheme was uncovered through a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the FAA.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, Special Agent-in-Charge Darrin K. Jones, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, and Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), Southern Region, announced the sentences imposed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Keller prosecuted the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco handled asset forfeiture.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of accountability in high-stakes industries. The sentences handed down by Judge Moreno are a testament to the determination of law enforcement to hold those responsible for such egregious crimes accountable. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under Case No. 23-CR-20416.

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