Pilot who tried to cut flight's engines gets time served, supervised release

Joseph Emerson, the erstwhile Alaska Airlines aviator who tried to unopen down a commercial plane's engines midflight successful 2023 portion traveling disconnected work successful the cockpit's leap seat, was sentenced Monday successful national tribunal to clip served and 3 years of supervised release.

Emerson, of Pleasant Hill, California, had pleaded guilty to the azygous complaint of interfering with a formation unit successful a September plea deal.

Without the deal, Emerson had faced a imaginable maximum condemnation of 20 years successful prison. Instead, prosecutors recommended a twelvemonth down bars followed by 3 years of supervised release. Emerson asked for clip served and probation.

Emerson had besides pleaded nary contention to authorities charges of endangering an craft and 83 counts of endangering different person. For those charges, helium was sentenced to 5 years of probation and 50 days successful jail, but helium was credited for clip served.

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Amanda Arden contributed to this report.

• Oregon