
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 31, 1990                   TAG: 9007310149
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

EX-EASTERN FOREMAN ENTERS GUILTY PLEA

A former Eastern Airlines foreman pleaded guilty Monday to charges he ignored vital maintenance and safety repairs, then falsified records to make it appear the work had been done.

Elia Dragone, 29, of Jersey City, N.J., was the first employee of the troubled airline to plead guilty in a broad scheme that allegedly allowed unsafe airliners to fly.

Dragone told a federal judge in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn that the fraud was orchestrated by his superiors at the airline.

Eastern and nine of its managers were charged last week in a 60-count criminal indictment alleging conspiracy to defraud the government, wire fraud, falsification of documents and obstruction of justice.

Dragone, named in 20 of the counts, pleaded guilty to two - conspiracy and obstruction.

In exchange for cooperating in the investigation, the government will dismiss the other charges against him and recommend leniency in sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Gerber said. - Associated Press

by CNB