ORLANDO, FL – James Warren Finnister, 47, from Detroit, MI, faces charges of assaulting a flight attendant and interfering with flight crew members. Announced by U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg, the arrest followed a criminal complaint regarding an incident on a January 9, 2024, flight from Louisville to Orlando International Airport. Finnister could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Court documents detail Finnister’s disruptive actions on the flight. He is accused of sexually harassing flight attendants, assaulting a crew member, and attempting to enter the aircraft’s cockpit during flight, among other disturbances.
The case underscores the severity of such offenses aboard aircraft, with the federal government treating interference with flight crews and assault on board as serious crimes. The investigation is ongoing.