Texas Pilot Sentenced in Tyler in Federal Fraud Case

TYLER – A pilot, who has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit arson, has been sentenced in Tyler federal court. Theodore Robert Wright, III, 33, formerly of Kemah, Texas, pleaded guilty last December. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. He was also ordered to pay $988,544.83 in restitution. Federal prosecutors said Wright led a multi-jurisdictional fraud and arson scheme that spanned from Hawaii to the Gulf of Mexico and involved the destruction of various luxury goods, including vehicles, aircraft, and vessels. His three co-conspirators, who have also pleaded guilty, have also received prison sentences.

According to the U.S Attorney’s office, the various assets destroyed in the scheme included a 1966 Beechcraft Baron, a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo, a 1971 Cessna 500, and a 1998 Hunter Passage. The Beechcraft
Baron made an emergency landing in the Gulf of Mexico, sank in deep water, and was not recovered. The Lamborghini was crashed into a ditch full of water, causing the vehicle to flood. The Cessna 500 was completely destroyed when it was set on fire at an airport in Athens. The Hunter Passage sank in a marina in Hawaii. Fraudulent insurance claims were filed in relation to each of these incidents. Wright and his co-defendants also filed a fraudulent $1 million personal injury lawsuit related to the crash in the Gulf of Mexico. The suit was settled for $100,000.