CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A Ripley County man is free on bond after his recent arrest on a federal indictment accusing him of lying to a federal agent about a missing helicopter, which authorities found in his hanger.
Lonnie Wayne Reid, 77, made his initial appearance Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni on a four-count indictment, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell.
"We did not seek detention, and he was arraigned (Thursday) before Judge Crites-Leoni," Sorrell said. "He pled not guilty."
Reid, Sorrell said, was released on bond. His bond was set at $5,000 unsecured.
Sorrell said Reid was ordered to appear at 1:30 p.m. July 19 for a pretrial motion hearing in his case.
Reid, according to Sorrell, is charged with lying to a federal law enforcement officer about a material fact related to the investigation of a missing helicopter.
"Reid says he crashed it, but then it was found in his hanger," Sorrell said.
The indictment alleges on Oct. 28, Reid made fraudulent statements to Nicholas Koechig, a special agent with the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, regarding a Department of Defense-owned helicopter.
Reid allegedly reported he had crashed the helicopter, which was completely destroyed in the crash and fire, at the Doniphan Airport.
He also is accused of reporting the helicopter had been "destroyed by a crash and fire in a dumpster near the Ripley County Courthouse."
At the time Reid made the statements, the indictment further alleges he knew the helicopter was "stored by (him) in a hanger near the Doniphan Airport."
Reid, who is being represented by Doniphan attorney Devin Kirby, lives next to the airport on Highway 21 North.
The indictment further alleges Reid lied to Koechig, telling him "he had purchased two helicopters that were stored in his hanger near the Doniphan Airport and near his residence from Dakota Air."
Reid, according to the indictment, knew this information was false as one of the helicopters had been loaned to the Ripley County Sheriff's Department by the Department of Defense.
Reid also is accused of lying to Koechig by telling him he had sold only the fuselage of the same Department of Defense-owned helicopter to a scrap dealer for either $3,000 or $3,500 and there were "no other salvageable parts to be sold for that helicopter."
At the time Reid made that alleged statement, he reportedly knew he had "sold the engine from that helicopter to Dakota Air for $20,000."
As part of the investigation, a federal search warrant reportedly was executed on Reid's property.
If convicted, Sorrell said, Reid faces up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.