OKC aircraft charter company owner pleads to violating FAA laws

The owner of an Oklahoma City aviation company that leases planes and helicopters to companies for charter work has pleaded guilty to federal misdemeanor charges and agreed to pay $50,000 in fines.

James Paul Johnson and his company, Interstate Helicopters, Inc. headquartered at Wiley Post Airport, entered guilty pleas on Tuesday in Oklahoma City Federal court to failing intentionally to report to the Federal Aviation Administration five leases of fixed-wing aircraft from 2014 to 2016.

Robert J. Troester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Johnson and his company leased Cessna Citation jets to five individuals and operated the planes for them. But no one provided the leases for the flights to the FAA which is required by federal law.

The planes in question were N144CA, N55CH and N55DW. The owner of N144CA was listed, according to court records as C.F.M.C. but now FAA records indicate its owner is Cash Holdings Aviation LLC of Edmond, Oklahoma.

N55CH also had a registration number of N387A and its owner, stated the government records was A.A. but it’s now owned by Statewide Transportation LLC of Oklahoma City.

The third plane was N550DW and the government said its owner was listed as R.F. However, the FAA now says the owner is White Sands Aviation LLC of Oklahoma City.

The information alleged Johnson and Interstate Helicopters failed to report the leases for flights on May 20, 2014; Sept. 25, 2015; Jan. 31, 2016; July 19, 2016 and July 20, 2016. Each of the failures was a federal misdemeanor.

The 66-year old Johnson admitted the allegations before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary M. Purcell and agreed to pay a $5,000 fine along with a $45,000 fine to be paid by Interstate Helicopters.

Records show the company owns 13 helicopters.