A Leominster, Massachusetts man, Francisco Severo Torres, has pleaded guilty to charges related to a mid-flight incident on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. The charges include interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris, who scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2025.
The incident occurred on March 5, 2023, when Torres attempted to open an emergency exit door during the flight and subsequently tried to stab a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon. The aircraft's cockpit alarm alerted the crew about the disarmed starboard side door. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the door’s locking handle had been tampered with and moved towards the unlocked position.
Flight attendants reported seeing Torres near the door and suspected him of tampering with it. When confronted, Torres questioned whether there were cameras capturing his actions. A decision was made by the captain to land the aircraft as soon as possible due to concerns over Torres' behavior.
As events unfolded, Torres allegedly threatened passengers and attempted to attack a flight attendant by thrusting at them with a broken spoon. Passengers intervened and restrained him until he could be taken into custody upon landing in Boston.
Further investigation revealed that prior to takeoff, Torres had inquired about the location of the door handle on a safety card during a briefing by flight attendants and was seen pacing before launching his attack.
The charge against Torres carries potential penalties including life imprisonment, supervised release for up to five years, and fines reaching $250,000. Sentencing will adhere to federal guidelines.
The announcement of the guilty plea came from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley along with Kimberly Milka of the FBI's Boston Division, Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police, and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum is handling prosecution duties in this case.
