FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 16, 2007
RONALD DEAN GARLICK, and GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC. SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on November 16, 2007, before Chief U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, RONALD DEAN GARLICK, a 69-year-old resident of Hamilton, and GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC., (by and through Joyce Mildred Garlick), appeared for sentencing.
RONALD GARLICK was sentenced to a term of:
- Home Arrest: 6 months
- Probation: 5 years
- Fine: $10,000
- Special Assessment: $100
GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC., received the following sentence:
- Fine: $12,000
- Special Assessment: $400
They were sentenced in connection with their guilty pleas to fraud involving aircraft parts.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
- RLICK and GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC. were in the process of assembling an experimental helicopter for an individual who resides in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
One of the parts that GARLICK intended to place on the aircraft was a swashplate support assembly, part number 206-010-452-1, serial number RE3563.
The chief inspector for GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC. realized the swashplate support assembly, which is a time-limited part, had no traceable documents to verify its life history and remaining hours of service, if any. He was concerned that the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") would not certify the aircraft if it contained untraceable parts and, consequently, refused to place the assembly on the individual's aircraft. He informed GARLICK that a different swashplate would have to be installed on the individual's helicopter.
On May 23, 2006, after the conversation with the chief inspector, GARLICK filled out a "return to service" serviceable tag, or "yellow" tag, which would certify the airworthy nature of the part, and presented the tag to the parts manager for her signature.
The parts manager informed GARLICK that she did not hold the proper ratings, licenses, or certificates that would authorize her to sign the yellow tag, but GARLICK demanded that she sign it nonetheless. The parts manager felt coerced and threatened and eventually signed the tag despite the fact that she lacked the necessary qualifications to do so. She then reported the incident to the chief inspector, who alerted the FAA.
GARLICK prepared the form, which contained the GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC. company name and address, while acting with apparent authority as an agent or representative of GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC.
GARLICK faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release. GARLICK HELICOPTERS, INC. faces possible penalties of 5 years probation and a $10,000,000 fine.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that they will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, they do have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Transportation.
