Former Jetblue Employee Sentenced for Smuggling Contraband Through Security at Logan

BOSTON – A former JetBlue Airways employee was sentenced today for smuggling thousands of dollars of what he believed to be drug money past security checkpoints at Logan International Airport.

Rupert Crossley, 26, of Lynn, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,000 in criminal forfeiture.  In October 2014, Crossley waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a four-count Information charging conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of illegally entering an airport area with intent to commit a felony.

In August 2012 and March 2013, a federal undercover operation revealed that Crossley used airport security credentials to evade TSA security and smuggle $85,000, which was represented to be drug proceeds, from non-secure airport areas such as curbside passenger drop-off/pick-up or public restrooms near baggage claim to secure areas of the airport such as passenger departure gates.  In return, Crossley received a total of $4,000 as compensation from a cooperating witness involved in the investigation.

Four co-defendants are alleged to have also used their airport credentials to evade security as part of the scheme.  Alvin Leacock, Eric Vick and Dino Dunkley were indicted in September 2014 on money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering, and illegally entering an airport area with intent to commit a felony.

Co-defendant Anthony Trotman pleaded guilty in October 2014 to a five-count Information charging money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and three counts of illegally entering an airport area with intent to commit a felony.  Trotman is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29, 2015 before U.S. District Court Judge Dennis Saylor.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today.  The case was investigated with the assistance of Bob Allison, Federal Security Director, Transportation Security Administration; Dwain Troutt, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Air Marshal Service; and Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance and cooperation of the Massachusetts Port Authority, JetBlue Airways Corporate Security and Delta Airlines.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. Lpez of Ortiz’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit and Dustin Chao of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit.