Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, a 27-year-old resident of Leander, Texas, was sentenced to time served for his felony conviction after unlawfully boarding a Delta Airlines flight in 2024. He hid in the lavatory during the flight from Salt Lake City International Airport to Austin, Texas. The sentence, delivered by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, followed Fleurizard's guilty plea on March 11, 2025, to being a stowaway on an aircraft. In addition to the approximately six months' imprisonment already served, Fleurizard received three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
Court documents revealed that on March 17, 2024, Fleurizard boarded Delta Airlines flight #1683 at Gate 2 of Salt Lake City International Airport without purchasing a ticket. He concealed himself in the lavatory but was discovered by the flight crew. Surveillance footage showed him taking photos of passengers' personal information with his cell phone before using it to obtain electronic boarding passes under their names.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message to would-be offenders that the District of Utah will not tolerate crimes committed in and around our vital airports,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Airport crimes will be prosecuted.”
Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI commented on the incident: “Mr. Fleurizard’s actions were not only disruptive to passengers; it also compromised the safety and security for all on board.” He added that the sentence holds Fleurizard accountable for trespassing, theft, and fraud.
Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd emphasized that this breach highlighted the need for strong aviation security measures: "This was a deliberate breach of security that put passengers and crew at risk." He thanked officers and FBI task force detectives who investigated alongside federal partners and acknowledged the attentiveness of the flight crew.
The investigation was conducted jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer with assistance from the Salt Lake City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan N. Reeves and Michael Kennedy prosecuted the case.
