A Florida man has admitted to assaulting a gate agent at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, according to an announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Chad Meacham. Keith Charles Owens, aged 53, entered a guilty plea for interfering with security personnel in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton.

Owens was initially charged in November 2024 and has now confessed to the October 5 incident where he attacked an American Airlines gate agent at DFW Airport. Security footage revealed that Owens repeatedly punched the gate agent in the head.

Court documents indicate that around 4:42 p.m., Owens approached a gate agent at gate A36, claiming he was late and attempted to scan his boarding pass. After being informed he was at the wrong gate, Owens reportedly cursed and left the area. The agent then contacted personnel at the correct gate, A35, warning them that Owens appeared intoxicated.

Owens proceeded onto the jet bridge at A35 without scanning his pass but was subsequently removed by airline staff. Shortly after, he returned to gate A36 at approximately 4:48 p.m., yelled at the gate agent, physically assaulted him by grabbing his shoulders and punching him multiple times in the face and neck before being restrained by airline personnel.

The altercation resulted in minor injuries for both the gate agent and those who intervened. The flight from gate A36 experienced delays due to the incident.

Owens could face up to ten years in federal prison with sentencing scheduled for May 2, 2025. The investigation was carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Division along with DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck is leading the prosecution.