Federal and local authorities are investigating an apparent airline security breach after an American Eagle Airlines employee allegedly used another man’s identity to get a job as a flight attendant.
Guyanese native, Jophan Porter, 38, has been charged with six counts of identity theft and three counts of forgery, among a lengthy list of other charges, according to the Miami-Dade corrections website.
American Eagle says the incident did not involve a customer and that they are involved in an investigation that includes the FBI, according to a statement from the airline.
When arrested at Miami International Airport on Friday, Porter was carrying multiple forms of phony identity, including driver’s licenses, a passport and a Department of Transportation identification card.
The presiding judge raised bail to $1 million after prosecutors described Porter as a flight risk, noting that authorities “don’t know who he’s connected to.”
“We don’t really know who he is,” the assistant state attorney said. “When you are refusing to identify yourself to the FBI and you’re working in an airline, that’s a concern.”
A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the agency plans to deport Porter, though he would not comment on Porter’s residency status or where he will be sent.
Porter is currently being held in Miami-Dade County jail and is represented by a public defender, who could not be immediately reached for comment. – CNN
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