This Seldom Used Law Lands Texas Man In Jail

This archaic crime was carried out in a very modern way. According to apnews a Texas man is accused of sneaking onboard a Delta Airlines Flight from Salt Lake City to Austin, using a photo of a girl's boarding pass.

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Wicliff Yves Fleurizard of George, Texas faces felony charges after being discovered as a stowaway on the aircraft. This crime is usually found in history books recounting crimes in 19th-century shipyards.

A Plane Full Of Passengers Stops Texas Man's Stowaway Attempt

Once on the plane, he tried to get into a storage space and was noticed by a flight attendant. He played it off and was directed to a bathroom at the front of the plane.

When everyone boarded he moved to the restroom facilities in the back of the plane. The plane was already taxiing down the runway when he left the bathroom, and the plane was full.

Camera Footage Shows Stowaway Taking Photos Of Boarding Passes

Fleurizard told the flight attendant he was in seat 21F. They discovered someone already in seat 21F, likely the female passenger whose boarding pass he photographed and used to board.

The crew searched for his name to find his seat, but he was not listed in their database. They then turned the plane around and when they arrived back at the gate, officers were waiting.

Authorities reviewed camera footage of the boarding area that showed him taking photos of many passengers' phones and boarding passes. He then used his phone as a boarding pass to get on the plane.

Being A Stowaway In The US Is A Federal Crime

Upon further investigation, a friend had given the Texas man a buddy pass to fly on Southwest, but with all the flights full, he was re-booked on a Sunday flight. He could have waited until his ticket was valid and saved himself a federal charge.

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He will likely be charged under 18 U.S. Code section 2199, and the felony could land him in prison for up to five years.

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