Three cheers for New York Federal District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis for sentencing a baggage handler at John F. Kennedy International Airport to life in prison for running a drug-smuggling ring at the airport.
As reported by the New York Times, not only was baggage handler Victor Bourne found guilty of smuggling cocaine, he was also found guilty of removing wing panels from passenger jets to access the cocaine “which actions could have brought the plane down during flight.”
There is no question that a baggage handler has no business dismantling a wing panel for any reason, let alone to carry out cocaine smuggling activities. It’s frightening to think what damage he could have done and the consequences it could have had for air safety.
Well, it is no surprise to me that Judge Garaufis threw the proverbial book at this airport criminal. I have known Judge Garaufis for many years, from when I was an NTSB member and he was chief counsel for FAA. He is a no-nonsense, aviation safety advocate so I can only imagine his horror at testimony that criminal elements on the airport were furthering their drug smuggling by endangering air safety.
I hope this life sentence serves not just to punish Victor Bourne, but to deter others who may think a quick buck is worth the risk to passenger safety.
