Investigations

On November 17, 2017, Mark Lewis Pullen, of Green Cove Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Pensacola, Florida, to operating an aircraft without a valid airman’s certificate. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revoked Pullen’s pilot and medical certificates in July 2012 after he failed to disclose an alcohol-related driving offense on his application. However, Pullen continued to pilot his plane until October 13, 2015, when he flew his unregistered Cessna Cardinal airplane from Houston, Texas, to Pensacola, Florida.

 

Pullen faces a maximum of 3 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2018.

 

DOT-OIG conducted this investigation with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.