U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
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November 5, 2001 French Citizen Charged in Flight Diversion Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today the arrest of GERARD MEDINA, age 45, of Los Angeles, California. MEDINA was arrested by FBI Agents, without incident, earlier today at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. MEDINA was a passenger on United Airlines Flight #18, which was scheduled non-stop service from Los Angeles International Airport to New York's Kennedy International Airport. It is alleged that while in-flight, MEDINA became disruptive, refused to comply with numerous requests from the flight crew to remain seated and had to be physically restrained by passengers after assaulting a flight crew member. Because of his actions, the flight was diverted to Chicago, where MEDINA was taken into custody. MEDINA, who is a French citizen, will be charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one (1) count of "Interference with a flight crew", which is a felony. The public is reminded that all defendants in a criminal case are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. |
