JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 34-year-old British national has been charged with assaulting or intimidating a flight crew on an international flight that was diverted to Jacksonville because of the incident, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Friday.
Oliver Charles Halliday Gee, of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
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Gee, who lives in Mexico but holds a British passport, made his initial appearance Wednesday in federal court in Jacksonville. He was ordered temporarily detained until his formal detention hearing, which has been scheduled for Nov. 7.
According to the criminal complaint, on Wednesday, Gee was a passenger on Condor flight 2115 traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Frankfurt, Germany. Before takeoff, Gee demanded to be served alcohol and was behaving aggressively, officials said.
About 60 to 90 minutes into the flight, Gee threatened to kill another passenger aboard the flight and threatened and intimidated a 3-year-old child, according to the complaint.
Gee proceeded to insult flight attendants aboard the flight and at one point began removing his clothes, exposing his penis, the complaint said.
Gee announced his intention to urinate in the flight cabin and was escorted to the lavatory by the flight’s purser and a passenger who volunteered to assist, official said. While being escorted, Gee slapped both the purser and the volunteer passenger, according to the complaint.
Gee also threatened to kill the volunteer passenger and stated that he knew people in Mexico who would kill the volunteer passenger for him, officials said.
Ultimately, the purser and volunteer passenger were able to restrain Gee in a seat and the flight was diverted to Jacksonville International Airport for an emergency landing.
After the plane landed, Gee was arrested and taken into custody by FBI agents. The plane was then refueled and continued to its destination.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.