RENO, Nev. (AP-- Four workers at the Reno-Tahoe Airport, foreign nationals with access to secure areas at the facility, have been indicted on federal charges they falsified employment documents and used fraudulent Social Security numbers, the U.S. Attorney's office announced Friday.
Three of the four workers at Reno-Tahoe Airport were arrested Thursday, while the fourth remained at large Friday. There names were not released.
The arrests were an outgrowth of investigations conducted by Operation Tarmac, a national multi-agency effort coordinated by a federal task force with the goal of ensuring that all persons with access to secure airport areas meet background standards.
"The employment of persons at our airports who have provided false identities and false background information represents a danger to the community and to the persons using the airports," said Daniel Bogden, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada.
"I feel that this operation, in which thousands of records were reviewed, has gone a long way to protect the airports of Nevada," he said.
The four were indicted after authorities combed the employment records of more than 1,600 workers employed by 85 businesses at the airport.
The four defendants are in violation of immigration laws, authorities said. Each worker accused faces up to 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines if convicted.