A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and attempting to open an airliner’s emergency door during a cross-country flight.
Francisco Severo Torres of Leominster pleaded guilty to one count of interfering and attempting to interfere with flight crew members and attendants with a dangerous weapon on United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston in March 2023.
According to prosecutor and witness accounts, Torres went on a rant in midair and attempted to stab a crew member with a modified metal spoon.
According to court documents, the plane was approximately 45 minutes from Boston when the crew received notification that a side door on the aircraft had been disarmed.
A flight attendant noticed that the door’s locking handle had been moved. Another saw Torres near the door and assumed he had moved the handle. Cabin pressure during flight prevents airplane doors from opening.
Torres began rambling loudly about his father being Dracula, wanting to be shot so he could be reincarnated, and threatening to kill everyone on board, according to another passenger.
According to court documents, Torres punched a male flight attendant three times in the shirt collar and tie with the metal spoon in his hand. Nobody was injured.
Torres was eventually apprehended and restrained by fellow passengers. He was apprehended when the plane landed at Boston Logan International Airport, authorities said.
Torres could be sentenced to life in prison.
Torres’ lawyer couldn’t be reached for comment.
Torres has spent time in mental health facilities, according to court documents. The police chief in his hometown stated that officers have dealt with him several times since 2014, mostly over family issues and mental health issues.
A federal judge ruled during Torres’ first court appearance after his arrest that he was not competent to stand trial and required further treatment.
Magistrate Judge Judith Dein’s decision was based on Torres’ mental health evaluation and her own observations.
