A Florida man who attacked an American Airlines gate agent at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport pleaded guilty to interfering with security personnel, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham announced.
53-year-old Keith Charles Owens admitted guilt to a criminal information charging interference with security screening personnel during a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton on Wednesday.
Court documents state that the incident occurred on October 5, 2024. Around 4:42 p.m., Mr. Owens approached a gate agent at gate A36, claiming he was late and attempting to scan his boarding pass. The gate agent informed him he was at the wrong gate and directed him to gate A35. Frustrated, Mr. Owens cursed and walked away.
The agent radioed personnel at gate A35 to alert them that Mr. Owens was headed there and appeared intoxicated. Mr. Owens then entered the jet bridge at A35 without scanning his boarding pass, prompting airline staff to remove him.
At 4:48 p.m., Mr. Owens returned to gate A36, yelling at the same gate agent. He grabbed the agent by the shoulders and punched him multiple times in the face and neck. Airline personnel intervened and managed to restrain Mr. Owens.
The gate agent and assisting personnel sustained minor injuries, and the incident delayed the flight departing from gate A36.
Mr. Owens, charged via a criminal complaint in November 2024, now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2025.
The FBI’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation alongside the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck is prosecuting the case.
