Florida man pleads guilty Tuesday to flying flight he was not cleared to fly, making false statements to Federal Aviation Administration

A 39-year-old Middleburg pilot who lied about his criminal history and flew an aircraft he wasn’t cleared to fly in 2009 entered a guilty plea Tuesday and faces up to eight years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In June 2009, Reginald Wayne Sibley Jr. claimed he did not have a criminal background on his airman medical certificate application with the Federal Aviation Administration, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Investigators found he was convicted at least three times from 2004 to 2007, according to court documents.

The investigation also found Sibley was in control of a flight from Orlando to Montague, Calif. on Oct. 8, 2009 that he was not cleared to fly, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Sibley planned to transport passengers from the airport in California and told law enforcement and the FAA that he was recently cleared to fly the aircraft but that he did not have his paperwork with him, according to court documents.

The FAA recommended over the phone that Sibley stay grounded until he could verify he had the correct credentials but he boarded his passengers and flew from Montague to Burbank, Calif., according to court documents.

Sibley pleaded guilty Tuesday to making false statements and representations to the FAA and illegally piloting an aircraft in air transportation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Sibley faces up to eight years in prison but sentencing has not been scheduled.

Source:    http://members.jacksonville.com

Florida Man Indicted for Flying Without an Airman Certificate:     http://www.oig.dot.gov