A St. Louis-based Southwest agent was charged with theft after an internal investigation found evidence that he printed fake travel vouchers for personal use and for profit
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A Southwest Airlines employee who told police he printed travel vouchers worth nearly $80,000 has been charged with theft.
Brooklyn Jones, a customer service representative at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, had printed flight vouchers under previous passengers’ names and redeemed them for himself, a Southwest internal investigation found, according to the complaint obtained by USA TODAY on Friday.
According to records, Jones admitted to the allegations in a written statement to Southwest and agreed to return the vouchers, but pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
Jones’ attorney Bert Fulk said in a statement that the state is basing the charges on a “probable cause statement that appears to rely heavily on third-party testimony.”
“We look forward to the disclosure process and reserve the right to comment on this matter in the future after receiving and reviewing the specific disclosure,” he said, declining to comment further.
Printed Southwest vouchers valued at $79,000
Southwest informed airport police of its findings following an internal investigation.
When officers led Jones to his locker, he gave Southwest 119 travel vouchers totaling $36,300, the complaint says.
In interviews after his arrest, Jones said he received money for the vouchers four times and printed vouchers totaling $79,000 between August 1, 2023, and September 23, 2023, court records show.
Jones is scheduled to appear in court again on September 16.
Southwest declined to comment and referred the matter to local law enforcement.
A similar case with another Southwest employee
Another Southwest employee, DaJuan Martin, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after he fraudulently created and sold about $1.9 million worth of company vouchers, according to federal prosecutors. An indictment filed last June said Martin was working for Southwest at Chicago’s Midway Airport when he used fictitious customer names to fraudulently create the vouchers.
Martin reached a plea deal with prosecutors last month and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 1. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Contributors: Grace Hauck, Amanda Lee Myers
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