Confed College Plane Goes Missing

[Doc]

He can "afford" to take flying lessons, but he is facing 20 years in a US Federal prison, and he has a "public" defender. Methinks, he should have thought out his actions? He's screwed.

[Flybaby]

Published Friday, June 19, 2009 8:06 AM
The Highway Patrol said Leon got a ride from a passer-by to a store, where he bought a Gatorade and sat at a booth until authorities arrived. He was arrested without incident.

Would have made a better story if he sat down in a bar in till he was picked up.

[robbreid]

From FBI press release . . .

Canadian Man Sentenced on Charges of Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Plane

ST. LOUIS, MO—Adam Dylan Leon was sentenced to 24 months in prison on federal charges of interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft, importation of a stolen aircraft, and illegal entry, for flying a stolen Cessna 172 aircraft into the United States from Canada, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.

According to the facts filed with the court: Prior to April 6, 2009, Leon was a joint Turkish-Canadian citizen residing in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. He had been taking aviation classes at Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology in Thunder Bay. On April 6, 2009, Leon stole a Cessna 172 training aircraft from Confederation College, took off without authorization, and piloted the aircraft southward across the border of the United States. He did not obtain approval from air traffic control and did not respond to radio contact. Due to the unknown nature of the flight and Leon’s lack of radio communication, appropriate authorities were notified of the plane’s location and direction of travel. American and Canadian authorities coordinated a prompt response to ensure the public safety. United States Department of Defense and Customs and Border Patrol aircraft intercepted the Cessna 172 after it entered United States airspace, and closely tracked its progress. Attempts to communicate with Leon were unsuccessful. After flying the plane southward through United States airspace for several hours, Leon landed the plane on a road off of Highway 60 near Ellsinore, MO. He was arrested shortly after by the Missouri Highway Patrol at a local grocery store in Ellsinore.

“Illegally entering the United States in a stolen plane is tantamount to a breach of our nation's borders,” said Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. “We work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify border security threats and investigate those who violate U.S. immigration and customs laws.”

“This turned out not to be a terrorist act and fortunately no one got hurt,” said Roland J. Corvington, special agent in charge of the FBI in St. Louis. “But today’s sentencing shows how the FBI and its partners take national security seriously by dedicating unlimited hours and resources needed to resolve what was a threat at the time.”

Adam Dylan Leon, a.k.a. Yavuz Berke, 31, of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty in August to one felony count of interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft, one felony count of importation of a stolen aircraft, and one count of illegal entry into the United States. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw, in St. Louis, MO.

Reap commended the work on the case by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Thunder Bay Police of Ontario, Canada, and Assistant United States Attorney D. John Sauer, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

[Brewguy]

I'd have thought either a one way ticket to Gitmo; or a stint in a Turkish prison would have been more in keeping with their past practices. I guess the times really are changing.

[Highflyinpilot]

Which one of their planes was stolen???

[CYQT]

It was Thunder Bay, not North Bay.

[CD]

It was Thunder Bay, not North Bay...

[moose_meat]

Which one of their planes was stolen???

GFJH

[Brown Bear]

Frankly, that's really fair. He'll get credit for time served, and be home for Christmass next year, or sooner. He is mo threat to scoiety. There are obviously some issues here.

[CGZMT]

Why does everyone think Thunder Bay is North Bay? Same with the 95 nordics! Everyone was saying it. Two seperate places on sepeerate side of the province!

[2.5milefinal]

North Bay, Thunder Bay, its all the same. Way up north of MUSKOKA

[Vickers vanguard]

what really bugs me is the guy's motive when he did that. What the hell was going thru his mind when he stole that airplane ? nothing was said about the motives so far .............weird, you would think the yanks would want to know why, don't you ?

[2.5milefinal]

Ummm if I have the story correct. He wanted 'them' to shoot him down so he could die. He is not a well man. Not sure 2 two years in U.S. Federal Pen. will help with his sickness

[Driving Rain]

Leon might have received only 12 to 18 months. But U.S. District Judge Charles Shaw went beyond federal sentencing guidelines in deciding punishment.

Shaw said the 31-year-old's actions posed risks to himself and others, cost the government $230,000 to keep fighter jets in the air for seven hours tracking him, and caused the Madison, Wis., capitol to evacuate.
Shaw told Leon it would be worth his while to see "It's a Wonderful Life," the classic Frank Capra film starring James Stewart, about a despairing man who comes to know through an angel what life would have been like if he never had lived. Leon said he hadn't see it.

Brady Randus, a friend from his flight school in Thunder Bay, Ont., wrote in a letter to the judge that he knew Leon was "honest, trustworthy and dependable" and an intelligent student who was at the top of his class and well-liked by others in the program.

He wrote that Leon's actions were "shocking" and "totally out of his character." The friend's father, Karl Randus, agreed, saying in his letter that Leon's actions came on the anniversary of his parents' death. "We can't imagine what he was thinking, but we care about Adam, he is a good person, and we hope there will be a chance for leniency for him."

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2009 ... 66-cp.html

[sky Rookie]

whatever brady, you steal a plane and go into the most paranoid country with it, theres gonna be serious reprecussions, out of character only goes so far

[Slappy the Squirrel]

whatever brady, you steal a plane and go into the most paranoid country with it, theres gonna be serious reprecussions, out of character only goes so far

Real classy statement sky rookie. Brady was doing his part to try to help out a friend, despite the difficult circumstances. Think about what you're saying before you post it.

[2R]

When the Igloos melt in the summer Thunder Bay gets a very serious homeless problem.
If i where him i would claim refugee status in the states, as his igloo has probably melted this summer and the government will not allow him build a new one.Under the new security measures act .Furringers need special licences to build Igloos.By the time he gets released he may not be able to gather enough snow seed to plant his next crop of snow to build his Igloo to protect himself from the swarms of Black fly that infest that region north of Muskoka in the winter

[sky Rookie]

i stick by it, do something stupid and face the consqeuences

[BoostedNihilist]

edit: part of the solution

[. ._]

Well, I dunno. The guy was pretty messed up to be suicidal. And yeah, he did break some air and immigration laws by going where he did.

But he didn't do any harm, really. It's not like he killed someone. I say a little jail time is enough. Maybe a little restitution to the College to pay for the gas and recovery costs.

And I don't think he should get a pilot's licence back unless he sees a shrink, and the shrink says it's OK.

We've all been bummed out and done stupid stuff. Well, I have anyways. Personally, I wish the guy all the best and hope he gets his life back on track.

-istp

[flyinhigh]

Did the school get the plane back or was it impounded as evidence.

[moose_meat]

They got it back and are still flying it today.