E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
A Ventura County resident has been detained following a federal grand jury indictment accusing him and his company of misleading clients about helicopter parts, according to the United States Department of Justice. Jared Michael Swensen, 48, from Ventura, and his business, J&J Enterprises LLLP, also known as "Light Helicopter Depot," face allegations of wire fraud and fraud involving aircraft parts.
Swensen, expected to appear in United States District Court in Los Angeles, is charged with two counts of wire fraud and eight counts related to fraudulent dealings in helicopter parts. The indictment accuses Swensen and his company of accepting contracts to overhaul helicopters, involving the replacement of parts nearing their service life with newer components. However, the indictment claims they used older parts and falsified maintenance logbooks and other records, potentially endangering aircraft safety.
The charges also include the fraudulent modification of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) release certificates, falsely extending the certification dates. The indictment highlights two deceived payment transactions occurring in 2023, alongside numerous other fraudulent activities from April 2020 to August 2023.
Swensen and J&J Enterprises are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If found guilty, Swensen faces up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge and up to 15 years for each fraud charge related to aircraft parts. The company could face substantial fines.
The United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General leads the investigation, with support from the FAA. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dennis Mitchell and Danbee Kim.
