Former American Airlines Mechanic Sentenced for Cocaine Smuggling Scheme
A former American Airlines mechanic has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in a cocaine smuggling operation involving a passenger plane. Paul Belloisi, 56, was convicted of attempting to retrieve over 25 pounds of cocaine, worth more than $250,000, from a jetliner that had landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Cocaine hidden in plane’s electronics compartment
Police discovered 10 bricks containing over 25 pounds of cocaine in the electronics compartment of an American Airlines flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City in February 2020. According to the Justice Department, the plane was selected for a routine search after arriving from Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Authorities replaced the cocaine with fake bricks sprayed with invisible ink. They then watched as Belloisi approached the plane and climbed into the compartment, just before the aircraft was scheduled to take off again.
When confronted by law enforcement, a special black light revealed that the gloves Belloisi was wearing glowed, indicating he had handled the fake bricks. Authorities also found him carrying an empty tool bag, and his jacket was outfitted with cutouts large enough to conceal the drug bricks.
Conviction and sentencing
Belloisi, a resident of Smithtown, New York, was convicted in 2023 on two counts of conspiracy and one count of importing cocaine after a weeklong trial. American Airlines was not implicated in the smuggling operation.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Dora Irizzary in Brooklyn. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace used the case to send a stern message to airport workers, warning that they would face “serious consequences for crimes of corruption.”
Peace further emphasized the broader impact of Belloisi’s actions, stating, “Belloisi’s conduct not only facilitated drug trafficking but also posed a serious threat to the security of a vital border crossing in our district and our transportation infrastructure.”
Defense plans to appeal
Despite the conviction, Belloisi’s defense lawyer, David Cohen, expressed his intent to appeal the sentence. Cohen described the nine-year prison term as “excessive” and argued that it was disproportionate compared to national and district-wide statistics.
“Given Mr. Belloisi’s personal history, as well as national and district-wide statistics, this was an excessive sentence, far beyond what is necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing,” Cohen said in a statement to Reuters.
American Airlines was not accused of any involvement in the drug smuggling scheme. The case has underscored the vulnerabilities in airport security and the potential for corruption among staff with access to critical areas of aircraft.
The case highlights the ongoing battle against drug trafficking through airports and the importance of diligent law enforcement efforts to maintain the security of national transportation systems.