Man Charged With Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today that Bolutife Olusegun Olorunda, 29, a resident of Vancouver, Washington, was charged by complaint in the United States District Court with Interference With Flight Crew Members and Attendants.

“It is the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office to enforce the laws of the United States. This includes federal laws prohibiting interference with flight crew members and attendants.  We will seek to hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety of flight staff and passengers. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to promote security of air travel,”  stated U.S. Attorney Shores.

The complaint alleges that on May 30, 2018, Mr. Olorunda boarded Delta Airlines flight 1156 in Portland, Oregon, bound for Atlanta, Georgia. During the flight, Mr. Olorunda’s alleged behavior was erratic and disruptive. He allegedly ignored direction from a flight attendant, and the Captain determined it was necessary to divert to the Tulsa International Airport. Two Federal Air Marshals aboard the aircraft followed protocol to address the situation.  When the aircraft landed, the Tulsa International Airport Police removed and detained Mr. Olorunda.

Mr. Olorunda will be arraigned today at 3:30 p.m. by United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary. 

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Transportation Security Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and Tulsa International Airport authorities. Assistant United States Attorney Robert T. Raley is prosecuting the case. 

A complaint is a method of informing a defendant of an alleged federal crime, which must later be indicted by a grand jury, then proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.