He lied to get a job to escape drug dealers, he said. That was also a lie, SC prosecutor says

When a South Carolina man was caught in a lie about his qualifications to get a job as an airplane mechanic, he did not come clean. Instead, he doubled down and lied to the federal government about being pursued by drug dealers, according to U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon.

Jeffery Michael Patterson’s qualifications were brought into question during a routine evaluation, Lydon’s office reported.

When he was questioned by special agents from the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation, Patterson explained that he had the FAA certifications required to repair and service airplanes — but they were under other names, according to Lydon’s office.

What was the reason the 41-year-old Townville man gave for numerous name changes?

He said it was done “by the Treasury department to protect his family from drug dealers who had been investigated by his father while working as a drug enforcement officer,” according to Lydon’s office.

Patterson ultimately admitted that story was “completely made up and bogus,” the U.S. Attorney’s office stated.

In 2017, Patterson was charged with making false statements, misuse of an agency seal and aggravated identity theft, Independent Mail reported, saying he forged a letter that said he was a certified FAA aircraft inspector, mechanic and commercial pilot.

He pleaded guilty to making a false statement to federal agents and was sentenced to three months’ probation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Patterson could have been sentenced to five years in federal prison and fined $250,000.

“(Ensuring) the safety of our aircraft of all types, including commercial and military, is of great importance and one way this is accomplished is to be sure that persons working on or certifying same as airworthy, are qualified to do so,” Lydon said.