Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Airline Assault

This week, a Massachusetts man received a prison sentence for his violent behavior on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston earlier this year. Francisco Severo Torres was captured on video attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon during the incident.

Torres, 35, was sentenced to approximately 26 months in prison. After serving his time, he faces five years of monitored release, during which he is prohibited from flying on commercial airlines.

A video taken on March 5, 2023, shows Torres yelling and standing on his seat before charging into the aisle and assaulting the attendant repeatedly in the neck. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with one passenger noting, “I thought it was just a discussion at first, but he started screaming and threatening everyone.”

Another passenger, Simic Goucasian, mentioned that he was part of a group that managed to subdue Torres and take the weapon from him, remarking on how strong and resistant he was during the ordeal. “It was total teamwork,” Goucasian recalled.

About 45 minutes before landing, the cockpit received an alert indicating that a side door had been tampered with. Upon inspection, flight attendants discovered that the door lock had been moved toward the unlocked position, raising immediate concerns for safety.

Flight attendants confronted Torres about his behavior, with one noting that they believed he had compromised the door. This led to the decision to land the aircraft as swiftly as possible.

In a disturbing twist, as Torres approached the two attendants, he was heard on video shouting threats like “I’ll kill every man on this plane” and claiming he would take control of the aircraft. His actions were undoubtedly alarming for both the crew and the passengers.

Following the unsettling incident, Torres pleaded guilty to charges related to interfering with a flight crew member and assault, using a dangerous weapon.