A former Ohio University employee of the OU Gordon K. Bush Airport will be arraigned this morning for three criminal charges against him.
Tom Stellwag, the airport's former chief maintenance officer, was indicted April 24 for theft, theft in office and falsification, according to a docket sheet from the Athens Court of Common Pleas. He will be arraigned at 9 a.m.
Stellwag was charged with theft for converting aeronautical parts to his own use, said Richard Ross, assistant county prosecutor. Because this alleged theft occurred in the context of his job, Stellwag was charged with theft in office, he said.
OU has turned the criminal investigation over to the Athens County Prosecutor's Office, said John Burns, director of legal affairs at OU.
Stellwag, who served as the chief maintenance officer since 2000, resigned from his position March 17. In a letter to Airport Director Ken Carley, he cited wrongful accusations of unethical business practices and lack of trust and respect from subordinates as his reasoning.
More details about the charges will be disclosed today at the arraignment, but documents in Stellwag's personnel file show an incident in early 2005 in which a scheduled 24-month maintenance inspection for OU's Beechcraft King Air 350 was missed, requiring a complete inspection of the plane and placing the legality of its flying in question.
From April 1, 2005 ' the day after the required inspection deadline ' to April 8, 2005 ' when Stellwag notified Carley of the oversight ' the plane flew 17 legs and 19.8 hours, according to an aircraft trip summary report. During that time, the plane transported 33 passengers, including OU President Roderick McDavis, Dean of Students Terry Hogan and Carley, according to an aircraft flight history.
In a May 5, 2005 letter to Carley, Stellwag wrote that he was truly sorry that I let this happen and that I've caused the airport thousands of dollars. Later, Stellwag wrote that he hoped that I will be given the chance to manage this aircraft again.
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Maria Gallucci
