Pomona Man Charged After FBI Investigation Uncovers Unregistered Aircraft Operations Across Multiple Municipal Airports

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Federal authorities have charged a Pomona man following a multi-state investigation into the unauthorized operation of unregistered aircraft, a case that has drawn scrutiny due to the manipulation of aviation tracking systems, cross-jurisdictional movement, and the involvement of counterterrorism task force resources.

Christian Estoque, 38, of Pomona, was arrested Tuesday and charged via federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The arrest followed an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation through its Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force, a unit typically tasked with assessing aviation-related threats, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and irregular flight activity.

According to court filings, the investigation began after the owner of a single-engine aircraft reported the plane stolen on January 3 from Auburn Municipal Airport in Washington State. The aircraft was later recovered on January 6 at Corona Municipal Airport in Southern California. During the recovery, local law enforcement determined the aircraft’s transponder had been deliberately manipulated, obscuring its flight history and location over a three-day period. Despite the electronic concealment, the aircraft was physically observed on January 4 at Kelso Airport in Washington, where a couple arriving in a rented vehicle was suspected of having flown the plane.

Investigators subsequently linked the same individuals to a second suspected aircraft theft on January 27 at Corona Municipal Airport. That aircraft had not been registered since 2017, a lapse that places it outside standard Federal Aviation Administration compliance and tracking protocols. During active surveillance, FBI agents observed Estoque enter the aircraft, power on the engine, and prepare for operation. Agents concluded that a theft was in progress and took him into custody before the aircraft departed.

Federal authorities stated that Estoque is neither a licensed pilot nor listed on the registration of the aircraft he attempted to operate. The complaint further alleges that Estoque admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine while operating the aircraft, a factor that significantly elevates the public safety and aviation risk profile of the incident.

Estoque made his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge on Thursday, January 29, and was released on bond pending further proceedings.

The investigation remains ongoing and reflects heightened sensitivity around unauthorized aircraft movement, particularly at municipal airports where security infrastructure is limited compared to commercial aviation hubs. Unregistered aircraft, disabled transponders, and non-licensed operators present challenges for both aviation safety and federal oversight, prompting the involvement of counterterrorism task forces even when no ideological motive has been publicly alleged.

In addition to the FBI, the case has involved extensive interagency coordination. Assisting agencies include the Corona Police Department and La Verne Police Department in California; the Kelso Police Department, Auburn Police Department, and the King County Sheriff’s Office in Washington State; the Federal Aviation Administration; and the Federal Air Marshal Service. The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Federal officials continue to encourage reporting of stolen or unregistered aircraft, emphasizing that irregular flight activity — particularly involving disabled tracking systems — poses risks that extend beyond property crime into airspace integrity and public safety.

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