A former American Airlines mechanic has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in a cocaine smuggling operation that transported over 25 pounds of drugs from Jamaica to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the Department of Justice announced on Friday.
Paul Belloisi, 56, was convicted in May 2023 following a jury trial. He was charged with conspiracy to possess and import cocaine, as well as the actual importation of the drug. The scheme involved smuggling 10 bricks of cocaine into the U.S., valued at over $250,000.
“Belloisi abused his position for personal gain, compromising the safety of the aviation industry,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York’s acting special agent, Darren B. McCormack. “By using his access to sensitive areas of passenger planes, he participated in the illegal importation of narcotics.”
The illicit operation came to light on February 4, 2020, when American Airlines flight 1349 arrived at JFK’s Terminal 8 from Montego Bay, Jamaica. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, during a routine inspection, selected the aircraft for a search. During this process, officials discovered 10 bricks of cocaine weighing 25.56 pounds hidden inside an electronics compartment beneath the cockpit.
In collaboration with HSI, CBP officers replaced the cocaine with fake bricks treated with a substance that would glow under black light. Law enforcement then placed the aircraft under surveillance, setting a trap for the perpetrator.
Before the plane’s scheduled departure for its next flight, Belloisi approached the aircraft, accessing the electronics compartment. Authorities quickly confronted him, using the black light to reveal traces of the glowing substance on his gloves, indicating he had handled the decoy drugs. Belloisi was also found with an empty tool bag and a jacket that had cutouts in its lining, apparently designed to carry the cocaine bricks.
Belloisi, a resident of Smithtown, Long Island, faced harsh criticism from U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, who highlighted the seriousness of the crime. “This conduct not only furthers drug trafficking that harms our communities, but it also poses a serious threat to the security of a vital border crossing and our transportation infrastructure,” Peace said. “Today’s sentence underscores the government’s commitment to addressing these threats, and serves as a warning to those working in trusted positions at our airports and other critical sectors: corruption will not go unpunished.”
The investigation was a collaborative effort between CBP, HSI, and the Eastern District of New York. Officials emphasized that Belloisi’s actions, while financially motivated, jeopardized public safety and national security.
The case marks a significant victory for law enforcement agencies combating corruption within the aviation industry.