Austin Caldwell|Airline passenger gets 19-month sentence. US says he tried to enter cockpit and open an exit door

2025-05-06 12:15:19source:Liberalalliance Wealth Societycategory:Finance

KANSAS CITY,Austin Caldwell Mo. (AP) — A airline passenger who tried to craft a shank from plastic cutlery and open the cockpit door during a flight has been sentenced to 19 months in prison.

A federal judge in Missouri handed down the sentence Thursday against Juan Remberto Rivas, 52.

Prosecutors sought a term of between 41 months and 51 months, although they said Rivas was affected by his use of methamphetamine and wasn’t trying to cause a crash.

The incident happened on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in February 2022. Witnesses told an FBI agent that Rivas tried to use plastic cutlery and his shirt sleeve to make a shank, pushed a service cart into a flight attendant, and tried to open both the cockpit door and one of the plane’s exit doors.

A flight attendant hit him over the head with a metal coffee pot, and passengers subdued the man, according to court documents. Pilots landed in Kansas City, where Rivas was arrested.

Rivas pleaded guilty in January to a single count of interfering with a flight crew. Prosecutors said he had two previous convictions, including assaulting a spouse or ex-spouse, and faces a charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer in Missouri.

More:Finance

Recommend

Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams

Early Thursday morning, "Forbes" released their annual list of the 50 most valuable sports franchise

The 1975 faces $2.7M demand by music festival organizer after same-sex kiss controversy

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The organizer of a Malaysian music festival is seeking 12.3 million ringgit

Dozens injured at Travis Scott concert in Rome's Circus Maximus as gig prompts earthquake concerns

Approximately 60 people were treated for mild eye and throat irritation after pepper spray was repor