Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Passenger sentenced to 4 months in prison for interfering with flight crew

Passenger sentenced to 4 months in prison for interfering with flight crew

A New York City woman was recently sentenced to four months in prison for interference with flight crew members, according to a Department of Justice news release.
Kelly Pichardo had previously pleaded guilty to the charge, which is a Class C felony offense. Pichardo also received 36 months of supervised release and was ordered to pay $9,123 restitution to American Airlines, the department said in the release.The sentence was imposed on August 29, according to court documents.

"Unruly and intimidating behavior," the release says, by Pichardo and her co-defendant on a February 2021 American Airlines flight from Dallas to Los Angeles prompted the flight to reroute to Phoenix so that the two could be removed from the plane. They were traveling in first class.

Ana Laura Botello, an attorney for Pichardo, declined to comment on the sentencing.

The co-defendant, Leeza S. Rodriguez, is scheduled to be sentenced in November "pursuant to her guilty plea," the department said.

"There is a line between boorish behavior on an airplane and criminal activity, and the defendant clearly crossed it," said US Attorney Gary Restaino in the news release. "First class passengers are not immune from prosecution."The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, a union representing more than 20,000 American Airlines flight attendants, said the violent behavior displayed on the flight diverted to Phoenix "must stop."

"APFA will continue collaborating with other flight attendant and customer service agent unions, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Congress to ensure these offenders are prosecuted to the full extent of the law with appropriate fines and criminal penalties," said Julie Hedrick, the union's national president, in a statement provided to CNN.

The maximum fine for the violation of the Class C felony is $250,000, with a maximum prison term of 20 years.

A record year for unruly passenger behavior, 2021 ended with nearly 6,000 reports to the Federal Aviation Administration.

More than 1,100 investigations and 350 enforcement actions were initiated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department, conducted the investigation of the incident involving Pichardo.

At the end of 2021, the Justice Department vowed to prioritize the prosecution of crimes on commercial airplanes.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×