COLUMBUS – Two Canadian men who were forced to land their cocaine-laden aircraft at Ohio University’s airport in March have agreed to plead guilty to federal drug charges against them, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman.
Glassman says Sylvain Desjardins, 48, and David Ayotte, 46, both of Maribel, Quebec, will plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, punishable by sentences of 10 years to life in prison.
According to court documents, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations center official in Riverside, Calif., on March 29 detected an aircraft that departed from the Bahamas and was traveling to Windsor, Ontario, but had diverted to Gordon K. Bush Airport at Ohio University.
The official contacted the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, who searched the plane upon arrival, along with agents Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and found approximately 132 kilograms or 290 pounds of cocaine.
Desjardins, the pilot and his passenger, Ayotte were planning to fly the cocaine to Canada to sell but discovered that the plane was having mechanical issues, court documents said.