Florida Man Takes Magic Mushrooms and Assaults United Flight Attendant

A Miami man pleaded guilty this week to assaulting a United flight attendant and interfering with the crew on a Dulles-bound plane. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for interference and up to a one-year prison sentence, plus a $5,000 fine for the assault plea. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says he will not likely receive the maximum sentence, but I hope he receives enough to make others think twice before becoming this intoxicated while flying.

Cherruy Loghan Sevilla, 24, exhibited “erratic and disruptive behavior” during UA flight 2116 from Miami to Washington Dulles on October 4, 2022. He prevented a flight attendant from getting to her jump seat and groped her breast according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. (Photo above courtesy of Facebook/Getty Images/Metro.)

From the news release:

About an hour into the flight, Sevilla began to exhibit disruptive and erratic behavior, including wandering around the plane, running up and down the aisle, clapping loudly near the cockpit, and yelling obscenities. Sevilla refused to remain seated and laid on the floor in the aisle of the plane, preventing a flight attendant from walking up the aisle to her jump seat to prepare for landing. Suddenly, the defendant jumped up and lunged at this flight attendant, grabbing and twisting her right breast. A passenger, another flight attendant, and an onboard law enforcement officer attempted to pull the defendant off and subdue him. The defendant resisted and, in the struggle, twisted the arm of the second flight attendant.

As reported by USA Today in October, Sevilla admitted to consuming Psilocybin, the psychedelic drug known as “magic mushrooms.” His behavior became increasingly erratic and aggressive throughout the flight and even physical with the flight attendants. One flight attendant suffered a seven-centimeter bruise on her right breast, deep tenderness to the areola,  a low back contusion, and neck strain.

Anthony’s Take: Taking drugs before flying is never a good idea. I feel bad that the poor flight attendant had to get injured while just trying to do her job. Hopefully, the sentence will be substantial enough to make him realize the consequences of his actions and to deter others from flying high in the future.