Refusing to wear a mask until he pulls down his pants in front of a flight attendant, this man is threatened with 20 years in prison

NEW YORK, KOMPAS.com – A man Ireland who refused to wear a mask during a flight from Dublin, Ireland, to New York, United States of America (US) faces up to 20 years in prison.

Reported by the News Agency AFP, Saturday (20/1/2022), the US Department of Justice stated that in addition to refusing to wear a mask, the man named Shane Mclnerney was also tried for reportedly showing his buttocks to a flight attendant.

Shane McInerney, 29, who is from Galway, Ireland is suspected of behaving in this way on a flight Delta Airlines on January 7, 2022.

Also read: There are passengers who don’t want to wear masks, US planes choose to turn back

He appeared before a judge in New York a week later and was charged with “intentionally assaulting and intimidating a member of the flight crew”, according to the criminal complaint opened Friday.

It said the suspect repeatedly refused to wear a mask, threw drink cans, hit passengers on the head, tugged at his pants and underwear, and glared at flight attendants and passengers.

A court spokesman said that if found guilty of these felony charges, McInerney could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

McInerney went to Florida to work at a football academy.

He was released on $20,000 bail as he awaits trial.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in January 2021 it would implement a zero-tolerance policy against people who oppose a federal rule requiring the wearing of masks on U.S. domestic flights.

Also read: 5G Activation Near US Airports Postponed, Inter-Agency Discussions

This came as flight attendants reported a large number of incidents of verbal and physical abuse from travelers refusing to wear masks.

Earlier, on Thursday (20/1/2022), an American Airlines jet headed from Miami to London also finally chose to turn around mid-flight because a passenger refused to wear a Covid-19 preventive mask.

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