El Cajon

A former vice president for Jet Air Inc. was fined $1,000 Monday on his misdemeanor conviction for injuring government property.

Joao Jaime Costa, 51, of San Diego, received no jail time or probation in settling the case from a 1986 grand jury indictment.

Assistant U.S. Atty. George Hardy described Costa as “a very minor player” in the case that also involved charges against Jet Air president, George Straza, 59.

Straza is serving a three-year federal prison term which combines sentences from his convictions in the 1986 and 1987 grand jury indictments and 1984 probation revocation.

Straza was serving a 4 1/2-year term, but it was reduced last week when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and making false statements in connection with false certifications that certain tests were made on equipment sent to the government when some tests were not made.

Jet Air, which has since been sold, was in the business of refurbishing aerospace speciality items. It was located in El Cajon.

Costa could have received a one-year jail term from U.S. District Judge John Rhoades.

Costa pleaded guilty Dec. 12 to the misdemeanor charge of injuring government property regarding defective air seals that were sent to the Air Force and other felony charges were dismissed.