American Airlines Mechanic Receives 9-Year Sentence for Drug Smuggling
A former American Airlines mechanic has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his involvement in a smuggling operation that brought 10 bricks of cocaine from Jamaica to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, the Department of Justice announced Friday.
Paul Belloisi, 56, was convicted in May 2023 following a jury trial on a three-count indictment. He was charged with conspiring to possess and import cocaine, and for the actual importation of the drug.
“Belloisi prioritized personal gain over aviation safety by abusing his position to participate in a scheme to import over 25 pounds of cocaine into the U.S., hiding smuggled narcotics within sensitive areas of passenger airplanes,” said Darren B. McCormack, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York. “I’m proud to work alongside the Eastern District of New York and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in holding this corrupt ‘inside man’ accountable.”
The smuggling scheme was uncovered on February 4, 2020, when American Airlines flight 1349 arrived at JFK’s Terminal 8 from Montego Bay, Jamaica. The plane was selected by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers for a routine search. During this search, officers found 10 bricks of cocaine, weighing 25.56 pounds, hidden inside an electronics compartment beneath the cockpit.
To catch the person responsible, law enforcement replaced the cocaine with fake bricks and sprayed them with a substance that glows under a black light. The plane was then placed under surveillance.
Before the aircraft’s next flight, Belloisi arrived and accessed the electronics compartment, where he was confronted by law enforcement. A blacklight test on his gloves revealed traces of the glowing substance, confirming that he had handled the fake contraband.
Belloisi, a resident of Smithtown on Long Island, was also found with an empty tool bag and wearing a jacket with lining large enough to conceal the bricks of cocaine.
“This type of conduct furthers the drug trade that harms our communities and presents a serious security risk at critical border crossings and transportation hubs,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s sentence shows that the government takes these threats seriously, and those working in trusted roles at airports and other vital industries will face severe consequences for crimes involving corruption.”
