Greenwood County Man Pleads No Contest to Fraud Involving Aircraft Parts

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Jerry Roy Comeaux, age 67, of Ninety-Six, South Carolina, pled no contest to a felony charge of fraud involving aircraft parts, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 38. United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville, accepted the plea and ordered Comeaux to pay the victims restitution of approximately $403,000. Comeaux is to serve three years probation. The United States agreed to dismiss charges against Vicky Comeaux, age 54, as part of the agreement.

According to facts presented in court, Comeaux operated Quality Aircraft Support, a business that repaired and overhauled aircraft parts. Comeaux was licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a repair station up until April 2006. At that time, he voluntarily surrendered his license; however, he continued to send out parts with fraudulent forms that gave the appearance that Quality Aircraft Support was licensed by the FAA. These parts were shipped to various commercial carriers in Texas, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and other parts of the country.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Winston D. Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

EASLEY MAN INDICTED IN ONGOING CFS FRAUD INVESTIGATION

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that Jeffery Scott McAbee, age 39, of Easley, was charged in a federal indictment with mail fraud and misprison of a felony.

McAbee is the brother in-law of Daryl Batts, who was sentenced last December to 121 months in federal prison for a $10 million dollar investment fraud scheme he operated through his Easley-based business Comprehensive Financial Solutions (CFS), a/k/a College Funding Solutions. Authorities allege that McAbee worked with Batts to solicit investments into CFS from 2004 to 2008, despite knowing that Batts and CFS were engaged in fraud during the time.

The maximum penalty McAbee could receive for each of six mail fraud counts is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment for 20 years, and the maximum penalty for misprison of a felony is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment of three years.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.