Posted on 05/20/2008 11:01:36 AM PDT by jazusamo
A Boeing Co. assembly line worker from Trevose was arrested today on charges of hacking wires on a $30 million Chinook helicopter being assembled at a Ridley Township plant last week. U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan announced the arrest today, about a week after damage was discovered on two of the new model Chinook CH-47F helicopters. The dual-rotor aircraft were still on the assembly line, and no damage was found to other models in production or already deployed.
Meehan's office identified the arrested man as Matthew K. Montgomery, 32, an employee for 18 months at the Boeing plant. Montgomery admitted that he damaged one of the aircraft he was working on, Meehan said. He was arrested yesterday while being interviewed by Defense Department investigators.
Meehan said the investigation into vandalism of the second Chinook continues. He said the focus of the investigation is that one or more Boeing employees were involved.
Boeing inspectors last Monday had discovered the hacked wires in one Chinook aircraft and a misplaced washer in another while they were on the assembly line. They quickly concluded that the damage was intentional and began an investigation.
Meehan said he would not speculate on a motive in the Montgomery case. According to an affidavit, Montgomery was told on Saturday, May 10 - two days before the damage was discovered - that he was being transferred to another assembly line at Boeing.
There may have been "some sense of lack of appreciation for the job he may have been doing," Meehan told reporters at a news conference.
Montgomery's specific role on the assembly line was unclear. Meehan said Montgomery, at some point, had requested the transfer to the assembly line for the V-22 Osprey, a different aircraft.
Meehan said the federal vandalism charge carries a fine of as much as $1,000 and as long as 10 years in prison. Montgomery was scheduled to appear before a federal judge today. Meehan said his office had not yet determined whether it would seek to keep Montgomery incarcerated.
The damage on the Chinooks - a key military workhorse and major product at Boeing - had rocked many workers at the plant, which employs about 5,200.
Officials from Meehan's office, Boeing and the U.S. Defense Department had offered a $5,000 reward at the plant last week for any information.
Meehan declined to say whether information from other workers, or routine investigations, led them to Montgomery. He did commend the public, Boeing employees and management for what he said was considerable cooperation in the investigation, and asked for continued help into the second case.
“There may have been “some sense of lack of appreciation for the job he may have been doing,” Meehan told reporters at a news conference.”
And now we know why...dumbass.
Looks like they got one.
Took alot of time and money to fix. And it always boiled down to a union issue on why it happened...
Yep, I’ve seen others mention the union angle on this. If there’s more than one involved I’d say it’s a pretty good possibility.
Charge the SOB with attempted manslaughter!!!
I couldn't agree more!
Don't know on any lefty connections, I just found the piece. If I find anything I'll post it.
Thought so. A disgruntled and overlooked floor worker. A job transfer to the Osprey line? No...he'll do just fine stamping license plates.
It IS attempted manslaughter if he sabotaged anything to do with flight controls or essential airworthiness on the helicopter. If the law doesn’t see it that way then something is wrong with the law(s) and/or how they are being interpreted.
If the particular form(s) of sabotage did not risk a crash it is still treasonous behavior in wartime. Sabotage of military equipment should be treated with great severity.
If he was trying to sabotage the thing with a purpose, (other than being a horse’s excretory orifice), he was pretty stupid about it. I have been working around aircraft manufacturing all last winter (F-35 JSF program) and I know that the final systems verification testing would have caught it in a flash. (Heck, they even found a mis-assembled WASHER.) Which he could not help but know. Sounds like just another whacko to me. Leftist, maybe. Smart, NOT !
Your desires would work if Congress decided issue a declaration of war. Since they have not, we have to live with the inintended consequences.
Philly area union workers are a thuggish bunch. Usually this is a bad thing. Usually. The other union guys who work at this plant (and elsewhere) were NOT happy about this sabotage. I’m sure plenty of them have sons serving in the military. Plus IIRC, this line, or maybe even the whole plant was shut down during the investigation, probably costing workers some paychecks during some tough economic times.
>> There may have been “some sense of lack of appreciation for the job he may have been doing
killing a few Marines flying in this HC would have made his feelings better I am sure. Bastard
Oh, and as far as I know, the VF-22 is being assembled in Fort Worth, Texas. Maybe he just wanted a transfer to warmer weather? (OK, OK, they are probably doing subassemblies at Philthadelphia, so don’t get on my case.)
Recent convert?
And treason.
These sorts of stories make me wonder: just how much was the guy making in wages? I’d wager that I would gladly have traded places with him, and Boeing would’ve gotten its money’s worth in the bargain.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.