Continued To Operate Parts Repair Business After Losing FAA Certification

A South Carolina couple has been indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to commit fraud involving aircraft or space vehicles, money laundering, wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with their operation of an aircraft parts repair business.

Appearing with their attorneys in US district court in Greenville last week, Jerry and Vicky Comeaux heard the charges filed against them, stemming from alleged illegal parts certification by Quality Aircraft Support from 1996 through November 2008.

Jerry Comeaux, identified by the indictment as owner of Quality Aircraft Support, an aircraft-parts repair company, was licensed with a Federal Aviation Administration certificate number used to vouch for the airworthiness of parts the company repaired. Vicky Comeaux was identified as Quality Aircraft Support's office manager in charge of finances and documentation.

After surrendering his certification "amidst earlier complaints about his work product," Jerry Comeaux is alleged to have continued to perform repair work and misrepresented the parts as certified, even using faked forms similar to FAA forms in an effort to defraud customers of a reported $2.5 million.

The indictment further alleges that all parts repaired by Comeaux after surrendering his certification are considered "suspect unapproved parts," because of questionable documentation, part failure or failed inspections, the Greenville News said.

The couple's attorneys remained confident of the outcome of the case. Bill Bannister, attorney for Vicky Comeaux said Friday that "she has faith in the jury system."

Jerry Comeaux's attorney, Rauch Wise said, "We look forward to going to court and refuting these charges, period. We feel good about the case we have, and we'll try it probably sometime in the spring."

The indictment also lists numerous customers of Quality Aircraft Support, including Tepper Aviation in Crestview, FL; Cornerstone Aviation in Chicago, IL; Blue Aerospace in Tamarac, FL; Air Tahoma in Miami, FL, and Columbus, OH; Jetspares International in Windermere, FL; and Flight Director Inc. in Austin, TX.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.nced.uscourts.gov