December 16, 2014

California Man Sentenced for Interfering with Flight Crew

PHILADELPHIA—Robert Coppack, 41, of LaVerne, California, was ordered today to spend five months in community confinement and to pay $53,354 in restitution for interfering with a flight crew. On May 13, 2014, Coppack intimidated and assaulted flight crew members and flight attendants on a U.S. Airways flight traveling from Philadelphia to London, and interfered with their duties and performance. He pleaded guilty September 17, 2014. In addition to the confinement, U.S. District Court Judge John R. Padova ordered the defendant to refrain from alcohol and illegal controlled substances, submit to testing for alcohol and drug testing, and participate in alcohol and mental health treatment while on supervised release.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah L. Grieb.