ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - An aircraft charter company that moved to Mid-Carolina Regional Airport in 2015 is terminating its lease according to county officials, and WBTV has learned that the owner is in jail in Georgia on a long list of sex crimes charges.
Strategic Moves ceased operations at the end of October and will vacate its hangar lease agreement because of “financial difficulties and the loss of clients," according to The Salisbury Post.
Steven Robert Setzer, listed as the owner of Strategic Moves in 2015, is in jail in Chatham County, GA. Pooler, GA, police charged Setzer in May with enticing a child for indecent purposes, sexual exploitation of a minor, aggravated child molestation, sodomy, and statutory rape.
The Strategic Moves web site has the following statement: Thank you for your patronage and loyalty over the last 15 years as clients of Strategic Moves. Strategic Moves has discontinued operations as of 10/31/2019. Many of our clients have transitioned to Davinci Jets who are capable and excited to provide an excellent level of service.
The company was expected to bring 15-17 jobs and tens of millions of dollars of aircraft to Rowan County when it moved from Statesville four years ago. At the time, it was anticipated that Strategic Moves would pay Rowan County nearly $7,000 per month to lease space at the airport.
Setzer’s bio indicates that he is a retired U.S. Marine Corps pilot who served on the crew of the Presidential Helicopter, Marine One, supporting the White House and President Clinton.
According to that bio, while with the Presidential squadron, he learned that even the smallest detail must be monitored, according to the company web site. His ability to provide support to VIP’s has been well tested in an environment that only the best are chosen to contribute to.
As a Marine One Maintenance Officer and Functional Test Pilot, Steve was one of a select team authorized to certify the President’s helicopter as safe for flight following a maintenance action, according to the bio.
The county built a new office next to a large hangar specifically to bring in clients like Strategic Moves.
The county is looking for a new tenant.
Rowan County Commission Chairman Greg Edds would not discuss Setzer or the charges, but did say that Strategic Moves “chose to wind down. They did so cleanly and very quickly. We’re working to recruit a replacement company. The airport is in great shape. We are working to recruit a new tenant. We have a beautiful facility, a 15,000 square foot class A hangar with great office space. We are already talking to other charter services.”
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