Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Michigan man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after causing a commercial flight from Omaha to Detroit to make an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mario Nikprelaj, 24, of Shelby Township, pleaded guilty on September 23, 2025, to one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
According to court records, the incident occurred on July 17, 2025. Before departure from Omaha, Nikprelaj made disruptive comments toward passengers and crew and initially refused to fasten his seatbelt. After takeoff, he continued to remove his seatbelt and ignored instructions from flight attendants. At one point during the ascent, Nikprelaj poked a flight attendant in the chest and threatened to kill him when told that law enforcement would be notified.
Later in the flight, several passengers alerted crew members after seeing Nikprelaj manipulate the emergency exit door near his seat. The same flight attendant—an 80-year-old—approached him again and was pushed away while Nikprelaj continued making threats.
The plane's captain decided to divert the aircraft for an emergency landing at Cedar Rapids. As the plane descended, Nikprelaj removed his shirt and walked up and down the aisle. Passengers intervened after he became belligerent and took a swing at them before returning to his seat.
Upon landing, Cedar Rapids Police boarded the plane and arrested Nikprelaj. Officers found a prescription bottle containing 41 pills labeled as Xanax; however, the prescription was not in his name.
Nikprelaj has prior convictions for assaulting or resisting police officers as well as domestic violence, disorderly conduct, breaking and entering, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand imposed an 18-month sentence along with two years of supervised release following imprisonment. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cedar Rapids Police Department, and Eastern Iowa Airport Public Safety Department.
