Pilot Sentenced for False Statements on Medical

A U.S. District Court in Miami sentenced Steven Michael Demaria on June 5 to three years of probation and $1,300 in fines for making false statements on an FAA airman medical application. The court also ordered Demaria to complete 360 hours of community service.

In May 2004, Demaria tested positive for the presence of marijuana, in connection with prospective employment as a pilot for a Fort Lauderdale air-taxi service. Two months later the agency issued an emergency order revoking Demaria's first-class medical certificate. Each year from 2012 to 2014, Demaria submitted an airman medical certificate application on which he falsely answered he had never failed a drug test.

Demaria was employed as a pilot-in-command for a regularly scheduled air carrier at the time of his arrest in November last year.