A federal jury found Friday that a Russian man who boarded a plane from Denmark to Los Angeles without a passport or ticket was guilty of air smuggling.
Sergei Vladimirovich Ochigawa arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Scandinavian Airlines Flight 931 from Copenhagen on November 4th. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials were unable to locate Ochigaba on the flight’s manifest or on any other incoming international flights, according to the complaint filed Nov. 6 in Los Angeles federal court.
After a three-day trial, a court jury found Ochigaba, 46, guilty of one count of stowaway in an aircraft. He could be sentenced to up to five years in federal prison when he is sentenced on February 5, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
Prosecutors presented evidence at trial that Ochigaba entered the terminal at Denmark’s Copenhagen Airport by tailgating unsuspecting passengers through security gates without a boarding pass. submitted. The next day, he boarded a plane undetected, prosecutors said.
Man found barely alive in landing gear of plane bound for Paris
Man found barely alive in landing gear of plane bound for Paris
A flight attendant told investigators that Ochigaba was sitting in an empty seat when the plane departed. After departure, he continued to walk around the plane, changing seats and trying to talk to other passengers, who ignored him, according to the complaint.
The complaint also states that he “ate two meals per meal service and at one point attempted to eat chocolate that belonged to a flight attendant.”
Federal officials said in court documents that when Customs and Border Protection agents searched his bag, they found “what appeared to be Russian identification and Israeli identification.” A photo was also found on his cell phone showing a portion of his passport with his name, date of birth and passport number, but the photo was never found.
The complaint alleges that Ochigaba “initially provided CBP with false and misleading information regarding his travels to the United States, including telling CBP that he had left his U.S. passport on the plane.” He claimed he hadn’t slept in days, but he was actually asleep.” I couldn’t understand what was happening. ”