Colombian Security Guard Sentenced For Operating Drag Races On Airport Runway

The criminal chamber of the Superior Court of Tolima, Colombia sentenced 32-year old Daniel Cadena Ortiz to 4 years, 5 months in prison, and a fine equivalent to 200 Colombian monthly minimum wages for the crime of turning the airport he was entrusted with watching over during the dormant hours at night into an illegal drag racing strip for 50 vehicles.

The Perales airport (above) serves the city of Ibagué, and the surrounding department of Tolima, Colombia in Colombia’s coffee belt. Ibagué is a city of 530,000, making it Colombia’s 7^th largest. On the night of April 3, 2014, Cadena is convicted of manipulating six security cameras so that they would not record the races that Cadena operated on the airport runway while the airport had been vacated for the night.

The prosecution had to overcome an earlier acquittal of Cadena by the 8^th City Circuit Criminal Court of Tolima, leading to the long time between the criminal act and the conviction.

Photo courtesy of Aerocivil