An aspiring aircraft mechanic who tried to bribe a test administrator for a passing grade on his Federal Aviation Administration exam will spend the next two years on probation.
Las Vegas resident Frank A. Jalion Amaro was charged in March after traveling to Duluth and offering to pay $2,500 for a passing grade on the required Airframe and Powerplant test, AJC.com previously reported.
The 21-year-old pleaded guilty in May and was recently sentenced to 26 months of probation and 100 hours of community service. Amaro was also ordered to pay a $100 fine for bribing the test administrator, according to the inspector general’s office for the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The FAA requires all aircraft mechanics to obtain the certification in order to perform maintenance and approve equipment for returns to service. Mechanic students must take 1,900 hours of classroom and practical training before passing a series of tests covering 43 technical subjects, authorities said.
Using an alias and fake phone number, Amaro contacted the instructor in November and tried to bribe him. The administrator immediately notified authorities of the solicitation attempt and agreed to work with them, federal prosecutors said.
Over the next several weeks, Amaro and the FAA examiner agreed that Amaro would take his test in Duluth at the end of 2019. As part of their agreement, Amaro gave the test administrator $500 up front and another $2,000 the day of his test.
“The public trusts that the men and women who perform maintenance on commercial aircraft have the proper credentials and qualifications,” U.S. Attorney BJay Pak said in a statement. “By attempting to buy his certification, Amaro took the easy way out and could have put the safety of those citizens who fly in jeopardy.”
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