A 36-year-old Nigerian, Olukayode Ojo, is facing a five-year prison sentence in Texas, United States, after being found guilty of making false statements to obtain a certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The conviction was reported by PUNCH Online on Wednesday.
Following the guilty verdict, U.S. District Judge Jodi Dishman ordered Ojo's detention until his sentencing. U.S. Attorney Robert Troester announced Ojo’s conviction through a statement on the FAA’s official website, revealing that the Nigerian pilot had been attempting to obtain a medical certificate necessary for piloting a commercial passenger aircraft. His conviction came on August 16, 2024.
Troester explained that the case was part of an investigation by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)—Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson Eldridge and Matt Dillon.
"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," Troester stated.
The trial revealed that Ojo, an FAA-certified commercial airline pilot, had pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges on February 8, 2023, in Kentucky state court. These charges were related to the theft of passenger luggage from the baggage carousels at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
In March 2023 and March 2024, Ojo made false statements to the FAA while applying for an FAA First Class Medical Certificate, attempting to conceal his prior criminal convictions. This certificate is required for an airman to pilot commercial passenger aircraft.
Ojo now faces a potential sentence of up to five years in federal prison, along with fines of up to $250,000 for each count.
