EL PASO, Texas (AFX) - A former Southwest Airlines Co. employee who pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison Tuesday.
Oscar Enriquez Ortiz, who admitted being part of a scheme to steal more than $1 million from Southwest Airlines in a ticket scam with several other employees, was also ordered to pay more than $518,000 in restitution to the Dallas-based carrier. He and seven other former employees were charged with wire fraud in March. Ortiz plead guilty in August.
Four other employees who have also pleaded guilty are awaiting sentencing. Guillermo Enriquez, who also worked for the airline, pleaded guilty and was sentenced earlier this year to six months of home confinement, four years of probation and was ordered to repay about $45,000 he was accused of stealing from the discount airline.
Two other employees were allowed to repay Southwest what they were accused of stealing, about $8,000 total, and avoid jail as part of pretrial diversion programs.
According to federal prosecutors, the employees, who all worked at the El Paso International Airport, would give already used tickets to customers who paid cash from March 2000 to January 2003. The employees recorded the sales as exchanges and took the cash, prosecutors charged.
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