A Sacramento woman recently pleaded guilty in federal court to interference with flight crew members and attendants in an incident that left a flight attendant with three chipped teeth, three stitches and extensive bruising.
Vyvianna M. Quinonez, 28, was on a Southwest Airlines flight from Sacramento to San Diego when she began not utilizing her face mask properly, unbuckled her seat belt and yanked down her tray table during the final descent, a U.S. Department of Justice press release said. When asked by a flight attendant to comply with federal regulations, Quinonez began filming her and pushed her away.
Quinonez admitted to then standing up and punching the attendant in the face and grabbing her hair, the release said. Passengers were able to prevent the altercation from escalating further. The attendant had to be hospitalized following the incident.
“It’s inexcusable for anyone to use violence on an airplane for any reason, particularly toward a flight attendant who is there to keep all the passengers safe,” Acting United States Attorney Randy Grossman said in the release. “We are not going to tolerate violence or interference with the flight crew, and we will pursue criminal charges against those who break the law.”
Quinonez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, the release said. She faces a maximum of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“The FBI is committed to keeping air travel safe from threats which come in a variety of forms,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner said in the release. “Assaulting and interfering with flight crews will not be tolerated and the FBI will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to diligently investigate and prosecute crimes such as these.”
