June 5, 2009
For more information contact:
Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Dixie A. Morrow
(850) 444-4000
INDIANA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DESTRUCTION OF AIRCRAFT AND FALSE DISTRESS MESSAGE
Pensacola, Florida - United States Attorney Thomas F. Kirwin, Northern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Damon Rodriguez, Coast Guard Investigative Service Gulf Region, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Special Agent in Charge John W. Long, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Atlanta, Georgia, announced today that Marcus Schrenker, 38, McCordsville, Indiana, entered pleas of guilty to both counts of the indictment returned by the federal grand jury. In a hearing before Senior United States District Judge Roger Vinson, Schrenker admitted that he willfully damaged, destroyed or wrecked an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or a civil aircraft used, operated or employed in interstate air commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 32(a)(1)(Count One). Schrenker further admitted that he knowingly and willfully communicated a false distress message and caused the United States Coast Guard to attempt to save his life and property when no help was needed, in violation of Title 14, United States Code, Section 88(c)(Count Two).
A copy of the detailed Factual Basis for Guilty Plea read into the record and to which Schrenker agreed is appended to this Release.
Schrenker will be sentenced by Senior Judge Vinson at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 2009. The maximum penalty for willful destruction of his aircraft is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, restitution, 3 years of supervised release, and a standard $100 special monetary assessment. The maximum penalty for the false distress message is 6 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, the $100 assessment, and restitution to the United States Coast Guard for the search and rescue effort.
This case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the United States Department of Transportation - Office of the Inspector General, assisted by: the United States Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Santa Rosa (Florida) Sheriff’s Department, the Gadsden County (Florida) Office, the United States Air Force, the United States Air Force 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron (McChord Air Force Base, Washington), the Louisiana Air National Guard, the Tallahassee (Florida) Police Department, the Harpersville (Alabama) Police Department, the Talladega (Alabama) Police Department, the Childersburg (Alabama) Police Department, the Vincent (Alabama) Police Department, the Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers.