Officials say three women from Suffolk County are accused of
assaulting a Delta Air Lines security officer at
John F. Kennedy International Airport.
According to court documents, Janessa
Torres, of Central Islip, and Johara Zavala, of Central Islip, and Jordan
Nixon, of Bay Shore, were charged in the Sept. 22, 2021 incident.
The defendants are accused of
viciously assaulting an airline security officer by beating him to the floor
with his radio and then kicking and punching him in the face and body.
“The extreme and aggressive
behavior in connection with our air travel is out of control. This office has
zero tolerance for violent conduct that threatens the safety of airline
passengers and employees and will prosecute defendants who allegedly engage in
such conduct to the fullest extent of the law,” says United States Attorney Breon Peace.
“The FBI is the lead federal
agency in charge of arresting those who assault, intimidate, or threaten flight
crew, or endanger the safety of other passengers,” stated FBI Assistant
Director-in-Charge Michael
Driscoll. “Anyone who thinks they can get
away with this type of unruly behavior should be reminded that their actions
are criminal and can result in time behind bars as a result of federal criminal
charges. We are aggressively addressing this emerging threat and take all cases
seriously.”
According to court documents,
the defendants refused to leave a jetway at JFK after they were informed that
they would be denied boarding for a Delta Air Lines scheduled flight to
San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Court documents state the
defendants were belligerent, with one appearing to be visibly disoriented and
possibly intoxicated, and another who was refusing to properly wear her mask.
The flight’s gate agent
notified the flight crew of the defendants’ belligerent conduct, and the
captain of the flight and a member of the flight crew determined that the
defendants should not be allowed to board the flight. The defendants refused
the request of an airline security officer to leave the jetway and approached
him while yelling and cursing.