United States v. Demond Jamal Camper

Defendant Demond Jamal Camper appeals from his conviction of making a false statement to the government, 18 U.S.C. § 1001 (2000), when he filled out a criminal history questionnaire as part of an airport security badge application. He argues that there was insufficient evidence that his answer was false. We affirm.

I.

In July 2000, Demond Jamal Camper pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a loaded firearm in public without being the registered owner, in violation of California Penal Code §§ 12031(a)(1) & (a)(2)(F). In the factual basis portion of his General Misdemeanor Guilty Plea form, Camper wrote, “On 4/15/00 ... I willfully and unlawfully possessed a loaded firearm in a car. The firearm was not registered to me.”

Seven months later, he applied for a job as a ramp agent at Los Angeles International Airport, a job for which security clearance was required under federal law. See 14 C.F.R. § 107.31 . Camper filled out a security badge application, which contained a questionnaire entitled “Background Verification.” The questionnaire asked, “Within the past ten years, have you been convicted ... of any of the following offenses?” The twenty-five item list that followed…