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Press Release

Fafane Daniel Pleads Guilty To Crime Aboard Aircraft

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana

FAFANE DANIEL, age 32, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty before the U. S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon today to violating Title 49, United States Code, Section 46506, assault on an aircraft in flight within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente.

According to court documents, DANIEL was a ticketed passenger traveling with her juvenile child on a Southwest Airlines flight originating in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and terminating in Las Vegas, Nevada.   DANIEL verbally and physically assaulted the passenger seated beside her because she mistakenly believed that passenger injured DANIEL’s child.   Due to this incident, the flight was diverted to New Orleans, Louisiana where DANIEL was taken into custody.

DANIEL will be sentenced on July 11, 2013.  She faces a maximum term of 6 months imprisonment. 

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory M. Kennedy.

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Updated November 18, 2014