By Allan Lengelticklethewire.com Denver’s U.S. Atty. Troy Eid summed it up best in a prepared statement Wednesday.
“I’ll keep saying it: Alcohol abuse and commercial aircraft don’t mix. This time the defendant claimed to have explosives — forcing every passenger to be re-screened — and must face the consequences.”
The defendant, Mark Randall Rayborn, 56, of Lafayette, Colo., was arraigned Wednesday and ordered detained pending a Nov. 17 dentention hearing, court records show. Authorities charged that on Sept. 27 he told a passenger aboard Northwest Flight 552 that he had a C-4 explosive.
Passengers at the Denver International Airport (DIA) had to deplane. The plane was searched, but nothing was found. Rayborn was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 6 and arrested Oct. 16. But he was so drunk on Oct. 16 , court records stated, that he was taken to the Denver Health Medical Center for treatment of alcohol, where he has remained since.
James Davis, special agent in charge of the FBI office in Denver said: “The statement made by Mr. Rayborn on that Saturday night caused a massive disruption to DIA, Northwest Airlines and the passengers and crew of Flight 552. Thankfully this was a hoax, no one was injured.” Rayborn faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
Read Government’s Medical Report On Passenger
