Unruly passenger pleads guilty after altercation with flight attendant, U.S. air marshal on LAX-bound flight

A person pleaded responsible Wednesday after a flight headed to LAX from Washington D.C. needed to be diverted as a result of he was concerned in an altercation with a flight attendant and a U.S. air marshal.

Ariel James Pennington, 35, of Los Angeles, pleaded responsible to interference with a flight attendant, america Legal professional for the Western District of Oklahoma introduced.

On Jan. 18, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment towards Pennington for offenses he dedicated whereas touring on a flight from Arlington, Virginia, to L.A. 

The primary rely alleges that Pennington assaulted and intimidated a flight attendant, thereby interfering with the flight attendant’s potential to carry out their duties. The second rely alleges that Pennington assaulted a Federal Air Marshal on the identical flight.  

Pennington pleaded responsible to the primary rely Wednesday. As a part of a plea settlement, the federal government agreed to dismiss the second rely at sentencing of the indictment. 

The incident occurred on board a Delta flight on Dec. 9, 2021. It’s unclear what prompted the altercation, however in some unspecified time in the future in the course of the flight, Pennington turned upset and allegedly assaulted a flight attendant.

The air marshal intervened and had the passenger in custody when the flight, which needed to be diverted to Oklahoma Metropolis, landed at Will Rogers World Airport. Oklahoma Metropolis law enforcement officials escorted Pennington off the aircraft and detained him till the FBI arrived to query him.

Pennington was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Heart on suspicion of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. He was bonded out after spending about 5 hours in jail and paying $334 in fines.

Video exhibits Pennington, who was not sporting a face masks whereas it was required, arguing with individuals on the aircraft earlier than being escorted off along with his arms behind his again.

The incident got here amid a surge of unruly passengers disrupting flights. Almost 4,000 concerned masks incidents, the Federal Aviation Administration stated in December 2021.

Pennington faces a most sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fantastic of $250,000, adopted by as much as three years of supervised launch. 

A sentencing date shall be set by the courtroom in roughly 90 days. 

The case was charged within the Western District of Oklahoma as a result of the flight was diverted to and landed at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma Metropolis.