LAX TSA Officer Indicted For Stealing Watches & Pre-Paid Debit Card From Luggage
Travelers shuffling through LAX's Terminal 1 security screening were in sticky hands in recent months. Airline passengers reported missing watches and one pre-paid debit card.
Paul Yashou of Torrance, a 38-year-old Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Officer, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on five-counts of theft - two felony and three misdemeanor charges.
Yashou allegedly has impressive taste in wrist valuables. The indictment accuses him of stealing an IWC GST chrono perpetual calendar moonphase watch, a Breitling Crosswind watch, an Antima watch, and a Movado watch, each valued at approximately $15,000, $5,000, $1,000 and $1,000.
The indictment also alleges that he stole a $1,000 pre-paid debit card.
The investigation began when the owner of the IWC watch discovered his watch for sale by a jewelery store on eBay. Turns out, Yashou sold the watch to the jewelry store.
Both felony accounts in this case carry a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. The three misdemeanors order a maximum sentence of one year in prison.
Yashou is slated to appear in United States District Court for an arraignment on August 3.
