Man Pleads Guilty To Shoving Employee, Trying To Open Cockpit On Flight

A 29-year-old man is facing prison time after his alleged disruptive behavior on a United Airlines flight, WKMG reports.

On February 10, Kameron C. Stone of Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew and assault in an aircraft during a flight heading to Pensacola, Florida in April 2021. According to prosecutors, passengers noticed Stone had a strong odor of alcohol, refused to stay in his seat, and pretended to shoot a gun at other people.

The unruly passenger reportedly tried opening the cabin and cockpit doors as the plane prepared for landing. When a flight attendant attempted to stop Stone, he allegedly pushed her into a wall, leaving her with bruises on her face, chest, arm, shoulder, court documents say.

Three passengers, including an off-duty federal marshal, restrained Stone until they landed, where police were waiting to take him into custody. Prosecutors claim three mini-bottles of vodka fell from his pockets during the confrontation.

Stone's sentencing was scheduled for April 28. He could face a maximum sentence of 21 years on both charges, but the Virginia man could get less under federal guidelines, according to reporters.

Since unruly passengers have become more of a problem over the last year, Delta Air Lines has pushed the federal government to make a new no-fly list for disruptive people.