MINDEN — The former chief pilot of the Nevada Department of Wildlife admitted in court on Tuesday to selling two blades taken from a state helicopter.
Minden resident Robert Anthony Lloyd, 50, took two blades from the state’s Bell Jet Ranger 206 stationed at Minden-Tahoe Airport.
Investigators learned that he sold the blades for $42,000, claiming they still had 2,121 hours of viable use left on them, when in fact they only had 200 hours.
New blades for the helicopter are worth $91,000 investigators said in documents filed in support of a warrant.
The theft came to light on March 22, 2015, when Lloyd called his supervisor to say he’d sold the blades 15 months before in order to keep up with the mortgages on his two homes.
Lloyd has not worked for the state since the theft came to light.
Under a plea deal presented on Tuesday, Lloyd agreed to pay $43,000 to Peregrine Helicopters, the company that ended up with the blades.
Attorney Thomas Viloria told Judge Tod Young that the money had been sent on Monday.
Prosecutors agreed to recommend probation for Lloyd, who faces a maximum sentence of 1-5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11.
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