San Joaquin County skydiving instructor imprisoned for fraud

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(FOX40.COM) — After being convicted of wire fraud in May, a former skydiving instructor in San Joaquin County was sentenced to two years in prison by a federal judge on Monday, according to the Eastern District Court of California.

Since August 2015, Robert Allen Pooley of Acampo conducted courses for those looking to get their tandem examiner rating without holding the rating himself, according to court reports.

Pooley received his “tandem examiner” rating in 2010 through the U.S. Parachute Association and the Uninsured United Parachute Technologies, which manufactures tandem parachute systems.

After receiving his rating, Pooley began training candidates to receive their own USPA Tandem Instructor rating and/or certificates to use UPT tandem parachutes.

Candidates did pay to be a part of the course which was held at a skydiving business in Acampo.

Pooley had his ratings pulled in August 2015, but he continued his USPA and UPT tandem training and did not tell students he had lost his certification.

The court said that Pooley continued to help students fill out their ratings paperwork to make it seem like his course was legitimate.

Pooley signed off on the student certificates with the digital signature of another tandem examiner who was certified, but not present when their signature was being used.

Students paid around $1,100 for their courses and many came from other parts of the world including the Republic of Korea, Chile and Mexico.

In August 2016, one of Pooley’s students fell to their death along with their tandem passenger causing other students to demand their money back for the courses. Pooley did not return their money.

Pooley was found by the court to allow for “conscious or reckless risk of death or serious bodily injury” in their scheme and was given a sentence enhancement by the judge.

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Matthew Nobert

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