Tennessee man gets 6-month prison sentence for assaulting flight attendant in Austin

Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman
·2 min read
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A passenger who punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant on a plane in Austin has received a six-month prison sentence, officials said Wednesday.

Michael Goins Jr., 35, of Spring Hill, Tenn., who pleaded guilty to assault on Friday, also was ordered to pay $650 in restitution, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office.

Goins received the maximum allowed sentence in a federal court in Austin, according to court documents.

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Courts

“This prison sentence reflects the seriousness of these types of crimes and promotes respect for the law,” U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said in the release. “Airline passengers and employees should be able to travel safely, and this violent behavior cannot be tolerated.”

The assault happened on March 20, 2022, after a Southwest Airline flight landed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was waiting on the tarmac for an arrival gate to open, the release said.

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Goins, a passenger, loudly cursed during a cell phone call that was overheard by passengers near him, the release said.

"A passenger traveling with children was disturbed by the language used by Goins, which led to his aggressive response toward the passenger," according to the release. "During an altercation, Goins intentionally and deliberately pushed his closed fist into a flight attendant’s upper abdomen and pushed her back, causing her pain."

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The case was investigated by the FBI and the Austin Police Department.

"As a passenger on an active flight, Mr. Goins' disruptive behavior escalated into a violent outburst directed at a flight attendant,” Special Agent in Charge Aaron G. Tapp of the FBI San Antonio field office said in the release. “The FBI is dedicated to ensuring Americans can go to work and travel by plane without the fear of being attacked.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: After punching flight attendant in Austin, man gets 6 month sentence