Dozens of individual independent contractors at the Air Force Academy are being accused of using phony documents to gain access to a secure military base.

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John Ferrugia Reports On Tuesday's Academy Arrests

Federal agents are working on rounding up 44 civilian contractors who are charged with using phony green cards, driver's licenses, Social Security numbers and other documents to get a job on the secured military campus. Of the 44 who were indicted, 27 were arrested early Tuesday morning without incident, U.S. Attorney John Suthers said.

Most of the people who were indicted are maintenance workers, janitors, delivery people, and others who have access to all areas of the academy grounds and the surrounding base facilities.

7NEWS has learned that this is just one of several secure military facilities where federal agents have been poring over worker documentation to determine who has used bogus documentation to get a job. 7NEWS has also learned there likely will be more indictments at other bases and secure areas around Colorado.

The federal government conducted a similar investigation at Denver International Airport on September 2002 and indicted many workers who used fake identifications.

Although most of those indicted are low-level workers who are not believed to have any connection to terrorist activity, federal authorities said they can't take any chances.

"In the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, and heightened security concerns for critical infrastructure in the United States, military installations have been urged to set up procedures to independently verify the identity of civilian employees. The United States Air Force Academy is among the first Department of Defense organizations in the state to set up an effective system whereby civilian employees of contractors are independently interviewed by law enforcement personnel," Suthers said. "The contract employees' documents are also checked and their criminal records reviewed as a part of the process of issuing security credentials."

"This joint investigation, involving multiple federal agencies, was a critical step to enhance the Academy's anti-terrorism and force protection posture. It was a very successful operation," said Col. John Miller, the academy's 10th Air Base Wing Commander.

A list of those arrested, along with the charges they face, will be released later this afternoon.

Misuse of a Social Security number or identification card carries a penalty of up to five years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine.