Man arrested for allegedly sneaking onto JetBlue plane in Florida
A man was arrested after he was allegedly discovered sleeping on a JetBlue plane at a maintenance facility near Fort Lauderdale Airport on Sunday.
JetBlue employees discovered 32-year-old Sammuel Prescott Lackey in the bathroom on a JetBlue Airbus A320 while conducting a routine interior inspection before moving the aircraft, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office.
The plane had been parked at an airport facility operated by Jetscape for maintenance with one of the rear doors open and portable stairs placed against the aircraft to allow access for maintenance employees, according to the sheriff's office complaint affidavit.
Surveillance video showed a man "fitting Lackey's exact description" walking on a road near the Jetscape facility at 9:51 p.m. on Saturday, the complaint affidavit said. The individual scaled an eight-foot fence that was topped with barbed wire around the perimeter of the airport to gain access to a private hangar in a "remote location" away from the passenger terminal complex, according to the Broward County Aviation Department, the airport's operator.
Lackey admitted to climbing over the airport fence and later entered the aircraft using the portable stairs, according to the complaint affidavit.
"At an unknown time, Sammuel Lackey climbed the portable stairs, entered the aircraft, and hid in the aft lavatory," the complaint affidavit states.
Around 4:25 a.m. the following day, the aircraft was pushed back to its parking space at the facility and its doors were closed and latched. Lackey remained onboard the plane before eventually being discovered by employees, according to the sheriff's office complaint affidavit.
Lackey's discovery resulted in a disruption of service that cost JetBlue $2,400.96, the complaint affidavit said.
Lackey was charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, criminal mischief and interruption of critical infrastructure, according to the booking report. He is currently in custody at the Broward County jail on $10,000 bond.
"The safety of our customers and crewmembers is JetBlue's first priority. We will assist law enforcement with any relevant investigation," JetBlue told ABC News.
The Fort Lauderdale Airport and Jetscape did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment.
The Broward County Aviation Department said in a statement it is "fully cooperating with federal authorities as they conduct their investigation, as maintaining a safe and secure airport is always a top priority."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Transportation Security Administration are investigating, the department said.
