A JetBlue pilot who was arrested just moments before takeoff on an outstanding child exploitation warrant at Boston Logan Airport last month has shot himself dead. The pilot was being tracked by a Massachusetts State Police fugitive team after he failed to turn himself in.
Jeremy Gudorf, 33, was arrested on February 20 as he went to work on JetBlue’s daily flight from Boston Logan (BOS) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) after a routine law enforcement check of the passenger and crew manifest revealed that Gudorf had an outstanding warrant.
The Airbus A321 pilot was wanted in North Carolina on an outstanding charge of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, but following an appearance in a Boston courthouse, the judge dismissed a request by prosecutors to remand him into custody.
Gudorf was released on bail of $10,000 and allowed to keep his passport on the condition that he report to North Carolina by February 25. The pilot failed to appear in North Carolina, and a fugitive team was tasked to track him down.
On Friday, Gudorf was eventually located in a parking lot at Wonderland MBTA Station in Revere. As State Troopers approached Gudorf, he abruptly pulled out a gun and shot himself.
Police gave Gudorf First Aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gudorf’s outstanding warrant was discovered due to routine law enforcement checks that are carried out on passenger and crew flight manifests.
Ahead of any international flight departing the United States, it is standard practice for US Customs and Border Practice to cross reference passenger and crew manifests against a database of outstanding criminal warrants.
The system regularly intercepts criminals trying to escape the United States for offenses they are wanted for or have been found guilty of and is conducted without any need for a physical immigration checkpoint.
It is, however, rare for crew members to be picked up on outstanding warrants, given that aircrew are security vetted.
Following Gudorf’s arrest, JetBlue had placed him on indefinite leave as the criminal investigation got underway.
Your profile photo makes you look like a fugitive 😉