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‘Pot plane’ pilot pleads guilty

The California man who flew a plane loaded with 170 lbs. of marijuana into Waukegan Regional Airport pleaded guilty Friday in Lake County circuit court.

Michael Fejer, 27, will be facing up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced, on a date to be set on Aug. 26.

Assistant State’s Attorney Suzanne Willett said Fejer, a professional pilot and aircraft mechanic from Oceanside, Cal., agreed to testify against his brother and a Aurora man who are also charged in the case.

Fejer told Circuit Judge James Booras that Brian Daugherty, 30, of the 1000 block of Chelsea Lane in Naperville, arranged to purchase the marijuana and provided $70,000 of the $90,000 needed to purchase the Beech Baron aircraft that brought the marijuana here.

On May 4, Fejer said, he and his brother, Nicholas Fejer, 23, also of Oceanside, Cal., flew the marijuana from California to Waukegan airport.

Agents of the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group had been tipped to the shipment, Willett said, and were waiting at the airport for the plane to arrive.

Fejer said he used a set of keys to a hangar at the airport he had been given by Daugherty to secure the aircraft, and he and his brother were taken into custody.

Police said Daugherty arrived the next morning and was arrested as he was unloading the marijuana from the plane.

Michael Fejer pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and a charge of marijuana trafficking was dropped in exchange for the plea.

Daugherty and Nicholas Fejer have both pleaded not guilty to the same charges faced by Michael Fejer.

After accepting the plea, Booras agreed to lower Michael Fejer’s bond to $300,000 and allow him to travel to California if he is able to post the $30,000 in cash necessary for his release.

Booras warned Fejer he will be facing a maximum of 60 years in prison on his original charges, plus an additional five years for escape, if he does not return to court when ordered.

Nicholas Fejer is being held on $1 million bond and is due to appear in court again June 28.

Daugherty was freed when he posted $100,000 in cash for his bond and is due in court again July 21.

Willett said both face a maximum of 60 years in prison if convicted.