JFK mechanic is charged in coke smuggle
An American Airlines mechanic arrested in connection to a stash of cocaine discovered under an airplane’s cockpit was charged for his alleged role in a drug-trafficking scheme Monday.
Paul Bellosi, 52, of Hicksville, L.I., was charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and intent to distribute at his arraignment in Brooklyn Federal Court after 10 bricks of coke were discovered in a compartment below the cockpit on a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Kennedy Airport on Feb. 4, court filings show.
Bellosi was “the ‘inside man’ ” in a scheme to transport the large cache of drugs with a street value of up to $1.3 million from the Caribbean island, according to Homeland Security Investigations.
He was stung by Customs and Border Patrol agents who had found 25 pounds of cocaine hidden behind an insulation blanket in an area beneath the cockpit during a routine search after the plane had landed, according to court documents.
After discovering the drug stash, the two agents replaced the cocaine with “sham bricks,” which they tagged with an electronic transponder that would signal if someone tried to move them, according to the complaint.
The agents also sprayed the drugs with a substance that glows when placed under a special light.
The Customs and Border Patrol and Homeland Security agents then monitored the area for several hours to see who would come to claim the stash, the complaint states.
About 20 minutes before the flight was set to depart JFK, Bellosi was seen entering the area where the sham drugs were stashed and set off the transponder. When he was apprehended by agents minutes later, they found him with an empty tool bag and cutouts in the lining of his jacket — large enough to hide the bricks of cocaine that had been under the cockpit, prosecutors said.
The mechanic’s gloves glowed when placed under the light used to detect whether he had touched the sham bricks, according to the complaint.
“As alleged, this airline mechanic abused his position as a trusted employee and his access to sensitive areas of JFK Airport to participate in the clandestine importation of cocaine,” U.S Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a statement.
“These charges will serve as a warning that federal law enforcement authorities remain vigilant in protecting the security of our borders and fighting the scourge of international narcotics trafficking.”
Bellosi was released on $300,000 bond following his Feb. 5 arrest and indicted by a Central Islip, L.I., grand jury on June 18, filings show. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
American Airlines said Bellosi had been suspended without pay pending the outcome of his case.
“At American we have an unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our customers and team members,” the carrier said in a statement.
“We take this matter very seriously and continue to cooperate with law enforcement throughout their investigation.”