By Mike Spector
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. Justice Department officials told family members of victims at a meeting that it is unlikely that criminal charges will be brought against Boeing (NYSE:) executives in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people, as the statute of limitations has expired. probably. .
A person familiar with the gathering on Friday confirmed the details and Reuters reviewed the correspondence.
The deadline for prosecution for most federal crimes is five years.
The Justice Department found in mid-May that Boeing violated a 2021 Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) that protected the company from a criminal charge stemming from fatal accidents.
The officials agreed to ask the judge to dismiss the charge of conspiracy to defraud the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as long as Boeing adheres to the terms of the agreement over a three-year period ending on January 7, 2024.
But an explosion on board the plane two days before the agreement expired revealed ongoing safety and quality problems. A panel exploded on a new Boeing 737 MAX 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight on January 5.
Boeing has until June 13 to clarify any disagreements with the ministry’s finding that it violated the 2021 agreement.
Officials have until July 7 to inform a federal judge in Texas of their plans.
“We have respected the terms of the agreement,” Boeing said in a statement on Saturday.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ministry is considering several options, including whether to sue Boeing or extend the Darfur Peace Agreement for a year. Officials could also enter into a new peace agreement or reach a non-prosecution agreement that does not involve court oversight.
Officials could also seek to negotiate a plea deal with Boeing on the 2021 fraud charge or take the company to court.
Boeing could also face charges over its conduct during the three-year period of the Darfur Peace Agreement, though officials found no evidence of any felonies committed during that period, prosecutors told victims' families, according to the source familiar with the meeting.
The source told Reuters that family members of the victims are discussing asking officials to seek a severe punishment if Boeing is tried and convicted.
The person added that Justice Department officials said at the meeting that they believed they were unable to prove federal manslaughter or fraud cases involving aircraft parts beyond a reasonable doubt.