Man Indicted After Attacking TSA Officers in Las Vegas

A man has been indicted after violently confronting TSA officers at Harry Reid International Airport while attempting to board a Southwest flight with a boarding pass that did not belong to him, say court documents.

Suspect Tried to Use a Woman’s Ticket

According to court papers gathered by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KLAS-TV/Las Vegas, the incident took place on November 3. 

Then, 30-year-old J.R.V.R. tried to board a flight to Rochester, New York, using a ticket in a woman’s name. TSA officers in Terminal 1 became suspicious and asked him questions about the boarding pass. 

One of the officers, acting as a Spanish interpreter, asked the man for a form of identification. V.R. pulled out a passport inside a plastic bag from his pocket, but refused to hand it over, say prosecutors. 

When he refused to cooperate, the situation escalated.

Court records show that V.R. struck a TSA officer on the right side of his head, knocking his glasses off, and resisted arrest when police arrived. 

“Law enforcement was notified, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded, resulting in an arrest,” airport officials said. 

Two of the police officers who were patrolling the airport terminals arrived at the scene and attempted to detain the man. However. V.R. violently opposed the arrest and kicked one of the officers in the head and arm.

Next, he grabbed a pen from one of the officers and tried to stab both with it. The man was eventually subdued and successfully handcuffed. One officer required medical attention after the incident.

Multiple Charges

Federal authorities have charged V.R. with multiple offenses, including two counts of interfering with security personnel, two counts of assaulting individuals assisting law enforcement, and entering a secure airport area under false pretenses. 

The main is facing five federal counts in total. During a hearing on November 24, Judge Elayna Youchah ordered V.R. to be held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. His arraignment is scheduled for December 12.