An aircraft maintenance technician who worked for Cessna Aircraft has been charged with selling stolen aircraft parts. A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice Kansas District, alleges that Diego Alejandro Paz Teran tried to sell stolen aircraft parts on eBay from August 2008 to Jan. 30, 2009.
In November of 2008, an employee at a Rockwell Collins distributor noticed that a Collins AHC-3000 attitude heading computer was listed on eBay for $9,000, a fraction of the unit’s $45,000-plus value, the DOJ release said. The Rockwell Collins employee asked the seller for the serial number of the part and Cessna tracked that serial number to a Citation XLS that was in for a paint job, according to the DOJ complaint.
Teran had more stolen aircraft parts for sale on eBay, and investigators used the Web site’s records to find Teran at his Wichita home. “If convicted,” the DOJ release said, “Teran faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,0000.”
