A New York City woman was lately sentenced to four months in prison for interfering with flight crew members, according to a Department of Justice Press release.
Previously, Pichardo pleaded guilty to the charge, which is a Class C felony offense. Pichardo also received 36 months of supervised release and was ordered to reimburse American Airlines, the department confirmed in the release. The sentence was imposed on August 29, as confirmed in the court document.
Pichardo and her co-defendant’s unruliness and intimidatory behavior on a February 2021 American Airlines flight from Dallas to Los Angeles resulted in the flight to reroute to Phoenix so that the two could be removed from the plane. They were traveling in first class. Attorney Ana Laura Botello, who is noted for the defense of Pichardo, did not comment on the court ruling.
In November, the co-defendant, Leeza S. Rodriguez, is scheduled to be sentenced by her guilty plea. 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, an association addressing in excess of 20,000 American Airlines airline stewards, said the fierce conduct showed on the flight redirected to Phoenix “should stop.”
“APFA will keep teaming up with other airline steward and client care specialist associations, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Congress to guarantee these guilty parties are indicted to the full degree of the law with suitable fines and criminal punishments,” said Julie Hedrick, the association’s public president, in a proclamation gave to CNN.
The most extreme fine for the infringement of the Class C crime for this situation is $250,000, with a greatest jail term of 20 years.
A record year for boisterous traveler conduct, 2021 finished with almost 6,000 reports to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In excess of 1,100 examinations and 350 requirement activities were started.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with help from the Phoenix Police Department, led the examination of the episode including Pichardo.
Toward the finish of 2021, the Justice Department promised to focus on arraignment of violations on business planes.
