Deputy US marshal charged with being disruptive and drunk on a flight, police say

John Miller, Gregory Wallace and Pete Muntean, CNN
·2 min read

A deputy US marshal was arrested in the United Kingdom, accused of drunkenness onboard a flight from the United States to the UK, according to the US Marshal Service and London’s Metropolitan Police.

The Metropolitan Police said the deputy marshal was also accused of sexual assault on the Delta Air Lines flight, but there “will be no further action in relation to this allegation.”

The deputy and another were on duty flying to London to pick up a prisoner being extradited to the US to face charges, a law enforcement source told CNN. There was no prisoner in their custody on the inbound leg of the flight.

The UK Metropolitan police said the deputy marshal will appear in a British court on Friday.

“He was arrested on the morning of Wednesday, 6 December after officers at Heathrow Airport were contacted by the crew of an inbound flight who reported a man was being disruptive onboard,” Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The deputy marshal has been released but cannot leave the country until he goes before a judge, according to a law enforcement source.

The US Marshal Service said one deputy “engaged in serious alleged misconduct while intoxicated,” and said both deputies were initially detained by law enforcement after landing in the UK.

During the flight, it is alleged both marshals became intoxicated and one of the two engaged in inappropriate touching of a female on the plane, a law enforcement source said.

Delta Air Lines told CNN it is cooperating with the investigation.

“Due to unruly passenger behavior while in flight, Delta Flight 1, JFK to London-Heathrow, was met by local law enforcement upon landing,” Delta said in a statement.

The inspector general of the Department of Justice, which frequently investigates allegations of wrongdoing against DOJ employees, declined to comment, citing a practice of neither confirming nor denying ongoing investigations.

The Transportation Security Administration said the incident did not involve its law enforcement arm, federal agents who are also known as federal air marshals and frequently work on flights.

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