PLT OF AN SMT IS RAMP CHKED BY A GOV LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AFTER CARRYING ARRIVING WITH A PAX WHO HAD PAID FOR THE TRIP.

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A PAX AT THE PGU ARPT HAD HIS FLT CANCELED AND NEEDED TO GET HOME (ORLANDO; FL). ARPT PERSONNEL TOLD HIM OF AN ACFT THAT WAS CAPABLE OF FLYING HIM HOME WAS RENTED OUT BY THE OWNER OF THE ACFT. PAX AGREED WITH ARPT PERSONNEL THAT THIS WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR HIM. ARPT PERSONNEL CALLED ME TO SEE IF I WAS WILLING TO FLY HIM IN THE OWNER'S ACFT. I AGREED AS LONG AS THE PAX PAID FOR THE RENTAL OF THE PLANE ($300/HR). THE PAX SAID HE HAD NO PROB WITH THAT. THE OWNER DID NOT HAVE ANY PAST DEALINGS WITH THIS PERSON AND WAS NOT COMFORTABLE ACCEPTING A CHK. I OWN A SMALL BUSINESS THAT ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS AND TOLD THEM I WOULD RUN IT THROUGH MY (CREDIT CHK). WE ESTIMATED THE TRIP WOULD TAKE 6 HRS SO I PUT $1800 ON PAX CREDIT CARD. THE FULL $1800 WAS PAID TO THE OWNER IN THE FORM OF A CHK A FEW DAYS LATER. ON ARR IN ORLANDO AN OFFICER CONFRONTED ME AND THE PAX. HE ASKED THE PAX IF HE HAD PAID TO BE BROUGHT TO ORL AND HE SAID YES. THE SHERIFF THEN ACCUSED ME OF FLYING CHARTER WITHOUT A 135 CERTIFICATE. I EXPLAINED THE SIT AND HE SAID HE WOULD NEED TO CONTACT THE FAA AND DID SO BY TELEPHONE THAT NIGHT. AFTER DISCUSSING WITH THE FAA FOR APPROX 15 MINS HE RETURNED MY LICENSE AND MEDICAL AND SAID THE FAA WOULD BE CONTACTING ME MONDAY TO DISCUSS FURTHER. I LEFT 10 MINS LATER AND FLEW HOME TO PGU. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA INVESTIGATED THIS INCIDENT AND FOUND NO VIOLATION WITH REGARD TO CARRYING PAX FOR HIRE. HE WAS OPERATING A BEECH MODEL 58 BARON ACFT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THIS ACFT WAS NOT APPROVED ON HIS PART 135 AIR TAXI OPERATING CERTIFICATE DUE TO THE ACFT OWNER NOT WANTING IT CHARTERED. THEREFORE; SINCE THE OWNER AGREED TO RENT THE ACFT PER HR; THE RPTR TOOK THE TRIP ON A PVT PARTY BASIS WITH EXPENSES COVERED BY THE RENTING PARTY; THE PAX!