A Bradenton man, Ernesto Cordero, has pleaded guilty to operating an aircraft without the necessary certification. Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announced that Cordero, aged 54, admitted to flying a helicopter without possessing the required airman certificate. He now faces a potential sentence of up to three years in federal prison, although a date for sentencing has not yet been determined.
Cordero held only a student pilot's license, which permitted him to operate his helicopter alone under certain conditions or with an instructor onboard. This license did not allow him to carry passengers. Despite this restriction, he reportedly flew his helicopter with passengers on multiple occasions.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) became involved in June 2024 after receiving a complaint about Cordero landing his helicopter at Egmont Key State Park near Tampa and allowing a passenger to disembark and reboard. The following month brought another complaint about similar activities from a dock behind a home in Marathon. The FAA subsequently discovered that Cordero's helicopter was landing at Tampa Executive Airport. Upon landing there, Cordero admitted to flying with a passenger onboard.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Aviation Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.