BOSTON (WHDH) - An East Brookfield man could get 20 years in prison after he was convicted of flying a helicopter out of his back yard in East Brookfield, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
Antonio Santonastaso, 62, was convicted Tuesday of one count of serving as an airman without an airman certificate, one count of making false statements to federal agents and one count of attempted witness tampering, officials said. He will be sentenced in October.
The FAA revoked Santonastaso’s aviation license in 2000 after he helped steal a helicopter from Norwood Memorial Airport, officials said. But in 2018, he flew another helicopter in and out of his back yard more than 50 times.
Santonastaso also tried to persuade a person to not report his back yard helicopter flights. He could face 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
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