Man Who Caused Flight Diversion To Minnesota Facing Drug Charge
Minneapolis (KROC AM News) - A man who caused a flight from New York to San Francisco to be diverted to the Twin Cities airport last Sunday is now facing a federal drug charge.
Authorities arrested 42-year-old Mark Scerbo of New York after the plane landed and a bag containing 24.5 grams of cocaine was confiscated.
According to the criminal complaint, Scerbo was acting erratically and causing a commotion. Witnesses reported Scerbo “walking up and down the aisle with a butter knife in his fist, snorting white powder, and had a bag containing a white powdery substance on his tray.”
A flight attendant said Scerbo was “singing out loud, doing yoga-like movements in people’s faces and acting aggressively.”
A female passenger seated next to Scerbo said he told her “he was a prophet named Genghis Khan” and talked to her about a “peace army.”
When the woman asked Scerbo if he was on drugs he replied, “ Of course not, look me in my third eye.”
Because his behavior was making passengers and flight attendants uncomfortable, the pilot decided to divert the flight to the Minneapolis-St Paul Airport.
Scerbo was immediately detained and a flight attendant turned over the bag of cocaine.
Records show Scerbo has a history of drug use and has served prison time for earlier convictions.
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