An Oahu man who allegedly interfered with a flight crew by threatening flight attendants and passengers on a British Airways flight from London to Los Angeles was arrested by FBI agents who responded Monday after the plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport .
Kevin Lee Mosele, 20, of Kihei, was charged in a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in United States District Court, according to the FBI. The complaint charges Mosele with one count of interference with a flight crew, a crime that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, Mosele was disruptive and abusive to passengers and members of the flight crew, and he had to be physically restrained during the flight. The complaint alleges that Mosele made a variety of threats, including death threats, while restrained and that his actions required the captain of the aircraft to personally respond to assess Mosele’s actions throughout the flight.
Mosele made his first appearance in federal court Tuesday afternoon. Mosele was freed on a $10,000 bond, and was ordered to appear for an arraignment on Aug. 4.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Los Angeles, which responds to alleged crimes aboard aircraft that either depart or land in the United States. Joint Terrorism Task Force members with the United States Customs and Border Protection and the Los Angeles Airport Police Department also provided assistance during the arrest, customs procedures and investigation of Mosele.
The case will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.