Ex-FAA Inspector, Avionics Shop Co-owner Face Charges

Federal charges have been filed against a former Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector and the co-owner of Avcom Avionics, a South Florida maintenance provider. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's office, a 34-count indictment against former aviation inspector Manuel Fernandez and shop co-owner Patricia Suarez was returned by the grand jury, charging them with conspiracy to bribe a public official, bribery of a public official, false statements, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud. Rolando Suarez, the FAA-approved repair facility’s other owner, has already been convicted and sentenced in connection with the ongoing investigation.

The latest indictments claim that Suarez provided Fernandez with thousands of dollars in cash, credit cards, vacation cruises, airline tickets, and other items in return for improperly obtained aviation repair manuals. Fernandez is accused of helping the company alter the manuals to disguise their origin and confidentiality, as well as providing it with notice and warnings of FAA inspections and investigations.

Conducted with the assistance of the FBI, the indictments also accuse Fernandez of disclosing sensitive and confidential information regarding Avcom’s competitors and failing to disclose the company’s legal, regulatory, and policy violations to the FAA. He was also charged with providing false statements to the FAA and Department of Transportation regarding his relationship with Avcom.