A Tucson man has been indicted on federal charges accusing him of lying about his employment history to obtain government contract work while he was still serving on active duty with the U.S. Air Force.
A federal grand jury indicted 44-year-old Davide Velarde on charges of making materially false statements on background investigation forms used to obtain jobs with federal contractors working for NASA, the Internal Revenue Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to the indictment, Velarde was still on active duty with the Air Force when he obtained contract positions connected to the IRS and NASA. Prosecutors allege he provided false information about when he planned to retire from military service.
After retiring from the Air Force, Velarde allegedly made additional false statements while seeking a contract position connected to NOAA. Prosecutors say he concealed the fact that he had previously been fired from federal contract work.
Federal authorities allege Velarde collected approximately $466,708 in combined wages from the Air Force and federal contractors between August 2021 and October 2025.
“You cannot be in multiple places at once, and you certainly cannot mislead the federal government to obtain simultaneous employment,” said Jennifer Bryan, special agent in charge of the NASA Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office.
The investigation involved inspectors general and investigators from NASA, the Treasury Department, Department of Commerce, Air Force and Department of Defense.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tucson is prosecuting the case.
A conviction for making false statements carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is an allegation, and Velarde is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
