Antonio Santonastaso, 59, of East Brookfield, Massachusetts, was arrested today and charged with illegally operating a helicopter from his backyard more than 50 times — a reckless stunt that turned his property into an unlicensed airstrip and put lives at risk, federal prosecutors say.
Santonastaso was charged in federal court in Worcester with one count of serving as an airman without an airman certificate and one count of making false statements to federal agents. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon, where he’ll face allegations that he knowingly flew a Robinson R-22 helicopter despite having his pilot’s license revoked in 2000 — the result of his involvement in the theft of a chopper from Norwood Memorial Airport.
Between April 28, 2018, and November 11, 2018, Santonastaso launched and landed the aircraft from his residential property, flouting federal aviation law and creating what FAA inspectors later deemed an ‘extremely hazardous’ flight path. Neighbors reported hearing the frequent roar of rotor blades but had no idea a man with a revoked license was piloting the machine just yards from homes and power lines.
When FAA officials and federal investigators confronted him, Santonastaso lied repeatedly. He claimed he didn’t know his license had been stripped — a claim investigators say is impossible given the circumstances of his 2000 revocation. He also falsified information about his medical certification, a mandatory requirement for any pilot operating an aircraft.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Andrew E. Lelling, and investigators from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General, under Special Agent in Charge Douglas Shoemaker, announced the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich is handling the prosecution.
The case hinges on evidence gathered from flight logs, witness statements, and the physical inspection of Santonastaso’s backyard landing zone. As of now, the allegations remain unproven in court. Santonastaso is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But flying a helicopter without a license isn’t just against the rules — it’s a federal crime that risks lives with every unauthorized takeoff.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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