PHOENIX, AZ – A New York woman, Kelly Pichardo, appeared virtually on Wednesday in federal court on charges that she interfered with a flight crew member, committed simple assault and caused the flight crew to conduct an unscheduled landing in Phoenix, Arizona.
Leeza S. Rodriguez, 30, also of Bronx, New York is scheduled to appear next week on the same charges.
Pichardo and Rodriguez were previously indicted by a grand jury on three counts related to events that took place in February 2021.
The indictment alleges that on February 24, Pichardo and Rodriguez, while on board an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Los Angeles, interfered with the ability of the flight crew to perform their duties by assaulting a crew member. The indictment also alleges that Pichardo and Rodriguez each assaulted a passenger during the flight.
A conviction for Interfering with a Flight Crew Member carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of confinement and a $250,000.00 fine. A conviction for Simple Assault carries a maximum penalty of 6 months of confinement and a $5,000.00 fine.