A Kansas man has been sentenced to probation after causing a midair disturbance and assaulting a flight attendant on an American Airlines flight departing from Connecticut last year.
Julius Jordan Priester, 25, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Bridgeport to one year of probation. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine after pleading guilty to assaulting a flight attendant during the flight.
According to the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, the incident occurred on May 27, 2025, aboard American Airlines Flight 3359, which departed from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks around 9:30 p.m. and was bound for Chicago.
About 30 minutes into the flight, Priester suddenly stood up, began removing his shirt and ran toward the back of the aircraft while yelling, “Help me!”
Prosecutors said he then grabbed a flight attendant who was seated and forcefully pulled the crew member to the ground, shouting, “You’re coming with me!”
Priester began dragging the victim up the aisle, but another flight attendant intervened and helped free the victim. The crew then managed to return Priester to his seat.
Even after being restrained to his seat, Priester reportedly continued behaving erratically and made incoherent statements, according to court documents.
Because of the disturbance, the aircraft captain declared an emergency and diverted the plane back to Windsor Locks.
After the plane landed safely, Connecticut State Police boarded the aircraft and removed Priester. He was then transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.
Priester remained in federal custody until July 8, 2025, when he was released on bond.
On Oct. 1, 2025, he pleaded guilty to interfering with flight crew members and attendants, a federal offense.
The incident was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Connecticut State Police.
