U.S. Air Marshal admits to selling ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ cards and lying about it

A U.S. Air Marshal admitted selling “Law Enforcement Family Member” cards that were embossed with the insignia of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and making a false statement to a federal officer who was investigating an individual who possessed one of the cards.

Jonathan J. Ledesma, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court on July 17, 2024, to a two-count information that charged him with making false statements and selling official insignia without authorization.

According to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Ledesma purchased cards that identified their bearers as being a “family member” of “Jonathan J. Ledesma,” a “Federal Officer.”

These cards were each embossed with the apparent insignia of DHS as well as a QR code that was linked to Ledesma’s cellular phone.

Though Ledesma was not authorized to sell the insignia of DHS, or any colorable imitation of the insignia, Ledesma then sold the cards to others from October 2021 through January 2023.

In July 2022, Ledesma sold a card to a person who was arrested on Jan. 30, 2023, while in possession of the card.

A federal officer scanned the QR code and spoke with Ledesma, who indicated that he had provided the card to the person because he was a friend and business associate of the person’s father. This statement was false because, as Ledesma well knew, he had never met or done business with that person’s father.

On Jan. 18, 2023, Ledesma sold a second card to another individual.

Making a false statement is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The unauthorized sale of official insignia is punishable by a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 20, 2024.

The investigation involved special agents of the FBI field office in Newark; the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; the Detroit Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; and the Detroit Field Office of the Transportation Security Administration; as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.