Albuquerque –
Around 7AM on July 18th, 2024, the Albuquerque Aviation Police department was called to the TSA check point area in regards to a man trying to get past the TSA checkpoint with what appeared to be a fraudulent identification card.
The officers made contact with the man who identified himself as Francis Bilek out of Illinois. Officers observed the security features on the ID card were damaged and missing some holographic designs.
The man told officers that the reason for the damaged ID was because he left it in a car in direct sunlight. In obtained body camera video, the male was very evasive in his answers and did not properly answer the officers question. The officers on scene for some reason did not push harder into their investigation to have the man provide additional identification.
The ID was ran by other officers and it came back that the real Bilek had blonde hair and blue eyes. The Bilek in front of them looked different. The officer said in his report that he did not have reasonable suspicion to detain the male. Officers did however confiscate the identification from the man.
The still unidentified male left the TSA area and told officers he would go rent a car instead. In body camera footage, About an hour later, Aviation officers went to the different kiosks to see if the man rented the car. One rental car clerk said he did rent a vehicle and an Aviation officer observed a completely different drivers license number was used when the car was rented. The clerk said the man told her he was from California and traveling one way transporting a soccer or baseball team.
Around 9AM on the same day, the male again two more times attempted to gain entry past the TSA checkpoint at the Sunport with different TSA agents and all of them denied him entry. He was not detained the other times by local authorities. The police report does not indicate if officers made contact with the male during the other incidents.
APD Aviation officers contacted the FBI to take over the investigation.
We reached out to the FBI Albuquerque Field office for comment and they said:
“We are aware of this incident, but it’s the FBI’s policy to neither confirm nor deny if we are conducting an investigation,” said Margot Cravens Public Affairs Office, FBI Albuquerque Division
It is unclear who this mystery man was or what his intentions were.
Good thing those aviation cops did a good and thorough job. I’m glad we pay them top dollars to keep us “safe” from things like this. LoL
It’s easy to Monday morning quarterback this but in fairness It seems clear the officer was not confidant in his authority and needs retraining on criteria for detention for investigation. Thank the DOJ for instilling the reluctance and fear of making a mistake and being crucified for civil rights violation! It’s a training moment!
Any person attempting to board a US Airline’s aircraft, with Fake ID which was caught by the TSA, should be Detained immediately, since he may be a part of a group checking things out. This is not acceptable to let him go free, without a thorough Investigation. My shoes are checked, and I am an American with my own ID, I get scrutinized by the TSA, and pay too much to fly, along with all of the body X-rays, body searches on occasion, like everyone else American.
Watched this on YouTube, scared the life out of me that they let this guy go, when I’d of real Belen was blue eyes blonde air!!!!; I’m now scared to go to the us from England, and ravel around if the police are all so poor there. Will there be Any follow up on this? Has the police been suspended?,. This is unreal
Sorry, really poor spelling in my post above, and autocorrected me ,the guy called himself Bilek, not Belen, and ment travel. Sorry, fat fingers lol