Tucson man indicted for lying while active-duty Air Force to obtain federal contract work

A Tucson man was indicted by a federal grand jury last week for falsifying background forms in order to obtain work with federal contractors, officials announced.

David Velarde, 44, was allegedly still on active duty with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) when he obtained work with federal contractors serving NASA, the IRS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. The indictment claims he made false statements about when he would retire to secure the positions.

Prosecutors added that, after retiring, Velarde lied about previously being fired from federal contract work while applying to work for NOAA.

Between August 2021 and October 2025, Velarde supposedly earned around $466,708 in wages from USAF and the federal contractors.

“This case is about protecting the honor of every other airman by holding David Velarde accountable for his alleged falsehoods,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said in an announcement. “Our office is proud to stand with the United States Air Force and the many excellent investigators involved in this matter.”

If convicted for making false statements, Velarde could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“You cannot be in multiple places at once, and you certainly cannot mislead the federal government to obtain simultaneous employment,” Jennifer Bryan, special agent in Charge of the NASA Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office, said. “David Velarde’s scheme to collect multiple paychecks was both an abuse of taxpayer dollars and a breach of public trust. Let this indictment be an example to those who attempt to game the federal contracting system.”

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