WFFC 1 #1 August 17, 2004 Just had an article read to me over the phone. It did not identify if the plane was one of SDC's or not. Incident happened @ 3:00 AM this morning apparently and was on the front page of the Ottawa Daily Times. It has not been posted online that I can find at this time. Trying to get the article scanned for posting...----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #2 August 17, 2004 Did it say what kind of plane it was and how much marijana? EDIT: Found out that it was a King Air. SDC doesn't own any King Airs. I was really glad to find that out.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KrisFlyZ 0 #3 August 17, 2004 QuoteJust had an article read to me over the phone. It did not identify if the plane was one of SDC's or not. Incident happened @ 3:00 AM this morning apparently and was on the front page of the Ottawa Daily Times. It has not been posted online that I can find at this time. Trying to get the article scanned for posting... According to what I heard, the plane was a King air. Not an SDC plane. Kris. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #4 August 17, 2004 Quote Found out that it was a King Air. Got tail number?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 August 17, 2004 Nope. Talked to someone that was there later that morning. This person doesn't want to be involved with the thread. Basically, I was told that the plane was being followed by some sort of law enforcement via another aircraft and happened to land at SDC due to it being an easy to see runway. Overall a coincidence that it was SDC.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #6 August 17, 2004 Does Skydive Chicago operate on its own private airfield or something?? (I'm unfamiliar with the place, but do hope to skydive there some day.) --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrunkMonkey 0 #7 August 17, 2004 QuoteDoes Skydive Chicago operate on its own private airfield or something?? Yes, IIRC. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,112 #8 August 17, 2004 QuoteDoes Skydive Chicago operate on its own private airfield or something?? (I'm unfamiliar with the place, but do hope to skydive there some day.) - It's not "private" in the FAA legal sense (being listed as "public use") but it IS owned by the DZ's operators.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 6 #9 August 17, 2004 Yes, Skydive Chicago operates on its own private airport. 50 foot wide and 4,500 foot long paved and flat. It's open on both ends. A very nice runway. It happened Friday morning. What I was told was that it was followed from Texas as it crossed the border. I was also told the plane was a Cessna 310. Don't know how correct that is. There was a King Air 200/300 (can't tell the difference between the two) parked and was told that it was a DEA King Air. Also, there were Black Hawks following in behind with the night vision stuff. In this day and age you gotta be fucking stupid to try to smuggle drugs across the border in a plane. They have radar set up all over the place to look for this stuff. Now Homeland Security is looking for anything coming across the border due to terrorism and the fact that the President's home is in TEXAS!!!! Dumb shits. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #10 August 17, 2004 QuoteDid it say what kind of plane it was and how much marijana? I was really glad to find that out. 1000 pounds. Agreed. There's a history of not so legal substances there (albeit long ago). would not have been good at all if it continued. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdhill 0 #11 August 17, 2004 When I lived in AZ, down on the boarder, we had an AEROSTAT (surveillance radar) balloon facility on the edge of town... you could tell when the balloon was down because of the low flying aircraft shooting the gap in the "fence". I'm sure the drug runners had someone watching the balloon. I recall seeing one unfortunate plane that was forced down on the Army Airfield by a Customs Blackhawk... JAll that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grue 1 #12 August 17, 2004 Somebody had seen Cutaway a few too many times cavete terrae. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #13 August 17, 2004 QuoteSomebody had seen Cutaway a few too many times An old skydiver told me that the intro in Cutaway was based off of Roger's smuggling days. But, that could be wrong. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #14 August 17, 2004 QuoteAn old skydiver told me that the intro in Cutaway was based off of Roger's smuggling days. But, that could be wrong. That wasn't an exclusive method. In Florida, there was a guy found in a rural area with a rucksack attached to him. Apparently, a night jump gone wrong. Of course, you only find out about the jumps that didn't work. Probably no one ever tried it with a tandem rig. Of course, it wouldn't have to involve skydiving. I have seen nightvision video on the news of a plane pushing out stuff via static line. That way, they never have to land. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crwmike 0 #15 August 17, 2004 QuoteSomebody had seen Cutaway a few too many times Cutaway was written by someone who knew skydiving's rich history. Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #16 August 17, 2004 A second article has been posted online. Attempting to get the full text of yesterdays and todays articles without subscribing ($30) to the Ottawa Daily Times. More when I have it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #17 August 17, 2004 Here's both articles, in date order. Thanks to the Ottawa Daily Times for sending them to me. Aug. 16, 2004 Arrests made, marijuana and plane seized at Skydive Chicago By DAN CHURNEY, Staff Writer An eight-hour air pursuit ended early Friday morning with the arrest of two pilots, as well as the seizure of a half-ton of marijuana and an airplane at the Skydive Chicago facility near Dayton. Ira Williams, 31, of Manteno and Gene Lisula, 31, Orland Park, are each charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. They were taken into custody by U.S. Customs agents after they landed their craft at 3:50 a.m. Agents said they found 1,000 pounds of marijuana inside the plane. Federal agents said they became suspicious of the plane when it took off from an airport in Brownsville, Texas, which is on the border with Mexico. The plane was tracked by radar until it landed at Edinburg, Texas. When it left there, it was being followed by a U.S. Customs jet, which was eventually joined by three other government jets. As Williams' and Lisula's craft approached the airport at Skydive Chicago, a U.S. Customs helicopter from Cincinnati, containing response team agents, was dispatched to Skydive Chicago to await the arrival of Williams and Lisula. Williams' and Lisula's plane landed, followed by two of the government planes and the arrests were made. Fred Morelli Jr., the attorney for Skydive Chicago, could not be reached for comment this morning. A Drug Enforcement Administration report from late 1999 said that that agency, as well as U.S. Customs, had placed Skydive Chicago under surveillance because of suspected illegal drug trafficking activity there. The DEA report also said that reports had been received of duffel bags being dropped from aircraft associated with Skydive Chicago. Skydive Chicago was then operated by Roger W. Nelson, who had been convicted in 1987 of federal drug smuggling charges. Nelson died in a skydiving accident in June 2003 and his children took over the operation. They refused to comment this morning about the arrests. Williams and Lisula are being held at the federal jail in Chicago and had a court hearing Friday. However, a federal spokesman said they will be taken to Texas where their case will be prosecuted. August 17, 2004 Skydive attorney: 'No knowledge of plane'; $1.2 million in marijuana seized By DAN CHURNEY, Staff Writer Fred Morelli Jr., the attorney for Skydive Chicago operators Matthew and Missy Nelson, is mad at the two pilots arrested Friday at the facility on drug trafficking charges. "I'm angry at them. Matthew and Missy are really angry at them. It took a tremendous amount of nerve to land there," said Morelli. The objects of Morelli's displeasure are Ira Williams, 31, of Manteno and Gene M. Lisula, 31, of Orland Park, who are each charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Williams and Lisula were arrested at 3:50 a.m. Friday by U.S. Customs agents after Williams and Lisula landed their airplane at the Skydive Chicago runway just north of Dayton. Authorities said they found 1,000 pounds of marijuana in the craft. This quantity of marijuana would usually be valued at about $1.2 million. Customs agents in four jets had followed Williams' and Lisula's plane for eight hours after it took off from an airport in Brownsville, Texas. Morelli, who was once a judge, said he is "absolutely confident" that neither Matthew nor Missy Nelson, nor anyone involved with the management of Skydive Chicago, had anything to do with Williams' and Lisula's flight. Matthew and Missy took over operation of the facility after their father, Roger W. Nelson, died in a skydiving accident in June 2003. Morelli also said that he believes the men landed at Skydive Chicago because it is one of the few airports in Northern Illinois that is closed late at night. He added that runway lights were not lit when Williams and Lisula touched down. Matthew Nelson was gone at the time and Missy Nelson was sleeping, but she was wakened by the sound of the helicopter that landed federal agents at the airport, Morelli said. Morelli further said that he believes the plane used by Williams and Lisula was rented in Texas and has been returned there. Morelli said he did not know what connection, if any, Williams and Lisula had to Skydive Chicago. However, Williams' and Lisula's names are mentioned on the "bulletin board" archives at Skydive Chicago's Web site. One entry dated Thursday said they had participated in a fireworks show at the facility. Another entry dated Dec. 22, said that Lisula had flown a plane for parachutists, while an April 2002 entry noted that Lisula had made a suggestion about expanding the facility's parking lot. A federal spokesman said that Williams and Lisula will be taken to Texas where their case will be prosecuted. They are being held in the federal detention facility in Chicago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #18 August 17, 2004 Good thing they caught the felons...otherwise the evidence would go up in smoke __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JRock 0 #19 August 17, 2004 This might sound naive... but what history is that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #20 August 17, 2004 QuoteThis might sound naive... but what history is that? Roger Nelson spent some time in the pokie after smuggling drugs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrgskyjump 0 #21 August 17, 2004 correct....."you have not a clue" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #22 August 17, 2004 Quotecorrect....."you have not a clue" OK...what's the real story then? BTW, anyone know who the two mentioned in the article are and what (if any) their relationship to SDC is? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JRock 0 #23 August 17, 2004 I was asking in general about skydiving... not an individual. Not trying to attack you, but I find it in poor taste to cast rumors like that...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildblue 7 #24 August 17, 2004 QuoteI was asking in general about skydiving... not an individual. Not trying to attack you, but I find it in poor taste to cast rumors like that...... Ok, skydiving in general has a history of jump planes being used to run drugs. I don't really think he was passing on any rumors, Roger used to joke about his un-logged flight time.it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #25 August 17, 2004 not a problem...comment edited.----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
