A man from Skaneateles, named John M. Dial, was caught using forged identifications to offer medical air services as a pilot and fly choppers meant for news agencies. The imposter pleaded guilty to identity theft in California federal court recently. The authorities revealed that the man used his former colleague’s identity to obtain a medical air services pilot’s job in New York. Dial had even created a fake passport. The former military pilot had assumed at least 24 fake names before.
Dial’s Prolific Faking History in Medical Air Services
Dial had successfully managed to keep the authorities at FAA in the blind. In order to work for a Californian medical air services company, he had produced falsified documents and also made false statements in June of 2011. The prosecutor revealed Dial was previously convicted for intentionally making wrong statements to FAA in 1994, a full 35 years ago. Here, he had submitted forged student pilot certificate as well as medical certificate to FAA. Dial is believed to have flow a chopper providing medical air services 63 times from July to November of 2011. He had even flown a television chopper twice for a station in Sacramento in March of 2012.
Authorities Caught Up with the Fake Medical Air Services Pilot
Dial had produced fake Vermont driver’s license when stopped in Cascade, Idaho. However, the alert police learnt his true name and found that he had 2 felony warrants outstanding in his name in Washington. On search of his vehicle, police found he was using two identities and arrested him. Dial then jumped bail and was finally traced to Finger Lakes by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It took several departments to work in tandem to trace Dial. US DoT, Inspector General’s office, US Secret Service, and FBI were involved. Also the police departments of Idaho, Cascade, and McCall had taken part in the investigation. Dial faces imprisonment of 2 years and fine of $25,000.
