Uruguay soccer leaders quit in fan violence crisis
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayan soccer has lost its leadership with little more than two months before its national team is to compete in the World Cup.
The entire executive committee of the Uruguayan Football Association quit Monday in a crisis that also involves President Jose Mujica and the football players union.
“It seems nonsensical to me that the executive committee resigns two months before the World Cup, because the big loser here could be the national team,” Edgar Welker, vice president of the Penarol soccer team, told The Associated Press.
Uruguay’s clubs will try to designate a temporary committee to lead the country’s soccer until the end of the World Cup, Welker said, adding that the crisis should not affect the leadership of the national team’s coach, Oscar Washington Tabarez.
The crisis blew up when Mujica abruptly withdrew police protection Thursday from the home stadiums of Penarol and Nacional, the most popular teams in Uruguay, after Nacional fans injured 40 police officers in postgame violence the night before.
“We Uruguayans cannot continue in this irrationality, accepting human stupidity. We need to react urgently,” the president said.
Uruguay’s soccer federation and its clubs decided to play Saturday’s games anyway, but the players pulled out Sunday, saying they wouldn’t be safe without police in the stadiums.
After all five leaders of the federation’s executive committee quit Monday, the country’s leading newspaper, El Pais, raised the question of whether the development could threaten Uruguay’s participation in the World Cup, which begins June 13 in Brazil.
Citing unidentified sources, El Pais suggested that FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, could be investigating the resignations and could suspend Uruguay from the tournament if it determined Mujica put political pressure on the committee.
FIFA rules are designed to protect soccer from political intervention. To make governments back down in conflicts over the sport, FIFA can threaten suspension from international football matches and meetings.
The body’s media department said FIFA had no comment on the situation in Uruguay.
Welker said the government had nothing to do with the resignation of Uruguayan Football Association President Sebastian Bauza and the other executives.
“I don’t see a government move behind this, nothing of the sort,” he said.
Francisco Figueredo, executive secretary of the South American Football Confederation, told the AP in Asuncion, Paraguay, that neither his group nor FIFA was investigating the Uruguayan crisis.
“Neither is Uruguay’s participation in the World Cup at risk, because the selection (national team) has nothing to do with police, nor violent fans,” he said.
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Associated Press writers Graham Dunbar in Geneva and Pedro Servin in Paraguay contributed to this report.
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After police officer’s death, Greek soccer fans will need a state-issued QR code to attend games
4/9/24
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities launched a ban on paper tickets for all league soccer matches on Tuesday as part of an effort to crack down on the violence that has plagued the sport for decades.
Under new rules, fans will only be allowed into stadiums using their cellphones and displaying a government-issued QR code so they can be identified and attendance bans can be enforced.
Stadiums have been closed to spectators for two months so security measures could be overhauled following the death of a police officer who was hit by a flare during a fan riot in Athens in December.
Starting Tuesday, fans will have to buy tickets online and verify the purchase using a state-run app used to pay taxes and access online government services.
Dimitris Papastergiou, a minister for digital governance, said the full paper ticket phase out would last one month. Exceptions, he said, would be made for minors and seniors, adding that the new system would be expanded to other sporting events after the summer.
“The goal is also … to relieve the Greek police of the need to provide hundreds of policemen at stadiums. Police will not be needed at stadium entrances,” Papastergiou told state-run ERT television.
The minister said 10,000 of the current 80,000 season-ticket holders had already switched to the new electronic system.
https://apnews.com/article/greek-soccer-violence-technology-95a7d0732573f10a6c49595dbbc405fd
Champions League ties to go ahead amid terror threat – UEFA
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Connor O’Halloran
Apr 9, 2024
European football’s governing body, UEFA, has said it is aware of a terror threat made regarding this week’s Champions League quarterfinal ties, but it said the matches will still go ahead as planned.
The Al-Azaim Foundation — a media arm of ISIS-K — issued multiple social media posts calling for attacks at stadiums hosting Champions League quarterfinal matches.
On Tuesday, Arsenal host Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in London and Real Madrid play Manchester City at the Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, while on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain face Barcelona in Parc des Princes in Paris and Atlético Madrid host Borussia Dortmund at Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
France’s interior ministry has confirmed an increased police presence will be in place in Paris on Wednesday in response to the threat, while Spain’s interior ministry said there will be more than 2,000 extra security personnel in line with typical operations for a major football fixture.
“UEFA is aware of alleged terrorist threats made towards this week’s UEFA Champions League matches and is closely liaising with the authorities at the respective venues,” the governing body said in a statement to ESPN. “All matches are planned to go ahead as scheduled with appropriate security arrangements in place.”
London’s Metropolitan Police told ESPN in a statement that the nationwide threat level remains at “substantial,” but acknowledged the terror threat against the Champions League ties.
“We’re aware of online and media reports in relation to calls to target matches across Europe and here in London,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is overseeing policing in London on Tuesday.
“However, I want to reassure the public that we have a robust policing plan in place for tonight’s match and we continue to work closely alongside the club’s security team to ensure that the match passes peacefully.
“As ever, we ask the public to remain vigilant, and if they see any that doesn’t look or feel right, then report it to police or security staff.”
An Arsenal spokesperson told ESPN the club is working closely with the Metropolitan Police, adding: “Our planning for tonight’s fixture is no different and our approach, working together with the Police and UEFA, is proportionate to the current UK threat level.”
Spain’s interior ministry told ESPN in a statement: “The State Security agencies have designed an operational deployment in which more than 2,000 National Police and Civil Guard agents will participate, to which members of Madrid’s Municipal Police will be added, to ensure the correct development of the two sporting events taking place today [Tuesday] and tomorrow [Wednesday] in the capital.
“This deployment is coordinated and has the support provided for in the measures that, throughout the territory of the State, establishes the Anti-Terrorist Prevention, Protection and Response Plan for the current level 4 out of 5 of anti-terrorist alert, to which various measures have also been added to prevent these type of contingencies.”
Meanwhile, French media reported that the country’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said he is aware of the threat from Islamic State and has organised increased security measures.
“We have seen, amongst others, a message from the Islamic State which particularly targets stadiums, which isn’t new,” Darmanin told reporters on Tuesday. “The police chief, with whom I spoke very early this morning, has considerably reinforced security resources.”
The return matches in the Champions League are scheduled for next week.
PSG defender Danilo said he and his teammates “need to concentrate on the soccer,” but manager Luis Enrique said the threat was worrying.
“Who wouldn’t be concerned by that. Of course we’re concerned,” Luis Enrique said. “We hope it’s only a threat and that nothing will happen.”
Information from ESPN’s Alex Kirkland, James Olley and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Israeli police thwart alleged ISIS terror plot against Jerusalem stadium, police station
The ISIS terrorists allegedly planned to attack Teddy Stadium and a police station
Israeli police thwart alleged ISIS terror plot against Jerusalem stadium, police station
Israel’s security agency, Shin Bet, says it foiled a plot by three ISIS terrorists to carry out attacks in Jerusalem.
Authorities say two of the men had plans to use explosives and small arms fire in attacks on a police station and at a stadium in east Jerusalem. Both men had pledged support for ISIS and received training from the third ISIS terrorist, who specialized in organizing attacks within Israel, Israeli police said.
The third terrorist had received training abroad and urged the other men to do the same prior to the attack, according to police. All three were arrested last month before they could leave the country, however.
Authorities say all three men were in their 20s, though they did not offer any details about their identities.
“Prior to their apprehension, the two individuals had commenced preparations for executing terrorist attacks, acquiring knowledge in creating explosives and carrying out attacks. Diligent investigations conducted by the Jerusalem District Police and Shin Bet uncovered their intentions to orchestrate explosive charges and shooting attacks against a police station in Jerusalem and the vicinity of Teddy Stadium,” Shin Bet wrote in a joint statement with Jerusalem police on Thursday.
“During the interrogation process, it was revealed that these individuals had pledged allegiance to ISIS and meticulously plotted several attacks targeting key areas within Jerusalem, employing various methodologies, including the planned deployment of explosives and firearms,” the statement continued.
The announcement comes barely a week after Israel said it thwarted a massive Iranian smuggling operation aimed at delivering weapons to Palestinians in the West Bank.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an investigation into known Hezbollah and Iranian operative Munir Makdah ultimately uncovered the smuggling scheme. Makdah had been working to recruit “agents in Judea and Samaria to carry out attacks,” the IDF said in a statement.
Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow mass shooting that left dozens dead. Here’s what we know.
Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow mass shooting that left dozens dead. Here’s what we know.
The shooting at Crocus City Hall occurred before a sold-out concert by a Russian progressive rock band, officials said.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Friday’s mass shooting at a popular concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow that left dozens dead an injured more than 100 others, the Associated Press reported.
ISIS, which the United States has designated as a terrorist group, said in a message posted Friday night to the Telegram messaging app that it had “attacked a large gathering… on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow,” and that the attackers had “retreated to their bases safely,” according to the Moscow Times. Those claims could not be independently verified, however.
What happened
Fiday’s shooting occurred at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, west of central Moscow. RIA Novosti, a Russian state-run news agency, reported that “at least three people in camouflage burst into the ground floor” of the venue and “opened fire with automatic weapons,” wounding multiple people.
The Associated Press, citing the Federal Security Service, reported that at least 40 people were killed and over 100 others injured in the attack.
Videos posted to social media and confirmed by U.S. news outlets showed men with rifles moving through the concert hall. Photos and videos from the scene showed the concert hall engulfed in flames.
According to NBC News, the Russian progressive rock band Picnic was scheduled to perform a sold-out show at the 9,500-seat venue on Friday. According to officials, the shooting occurred before the start of the show.
Who is Islamic State?
Friday evening, the Islamic State group came forward on Telegram to claim responsibility for the attack.
Primarily based in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State and its offshoots are a Sunni jihadist group. They also operate also in Afghanistan and Africa and have been known to recruit fighters from Russia.
What are other Russian authorities saying?
A spokesperson for Igor Krasnov, Russia’s prosecutor general, said in a Telegram post that he was headed to the scene and that officials were working to determine the number of fatalities.
“Tonight, before the start of the event in the concert hall in Krasnogorsk, unknown men in camouflage clothes broke into the building and started shooting,” the post added. “The number of victims is being determined, a fire started in the entertainment center building, and citizens are being evacuated.”
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said he was canceling all public events in Moscow this weekend.
“I have taken the decision to cancel all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend,” Sobyanin said in a Telegram post. “I ask of you to treat this measure with understanding.”
U.S. had warned of possible ‘extremist’ attacks
Earlier this month, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a security alert warning that it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow,” including concerts.
The March 7 statement advised U.S. citizens in the Moscow area to “avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.”
According to Reuters, the embassy issued its warning several hours after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it “foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a cell of the militant Sunni Muslim group Islamic State.”
Shooting comes on heels of Putin’s reelection
Friday’s deadly attack comes less than a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin won a fifth term in a landslide election that U.S. and other Western leaders denounced as a sham.
It also comes amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, now in its third year.
Hours before Islamic State took responsibility for Friday’s mass shooting, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr, denied that his country was in any way involved in the attack.
“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia),” Podolyak wrote on X. “It makes no sense whatsoever.”
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby echoed Podolyak’s denial.
“There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting, but again, this just broke,” Kirby told reporters Friday afternoon. “We’re taking a look at it, but I would disabuse you at this early hour have any connection to Ukraine.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/dozens-killed-over-100-injured-in-moscow-mass-shooting-russian-state-media-reports-193438660.html
Kansas City shooting live updates: Police say ‘dispute between several people’ led to gunfire at Chiefs Super Bowl parade
3 people, including 2 juveniles, were detained in connection with the shooting near Union Station that left 22 injured, police say.
Updated Thu, February 15, 2024
One person was killed and 22 others were injured in a mass shooting that erupted outside Kansas City’s Union Station Wednesday at the conclusion of the Super Bowl victory parade for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Three people, including two juveniles, were detained in connection with the shooting. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Thursday that a preliminary investigation revealed a “dispute between several people” led to gunfire, adding that the motive is still “actively being investigated.”
It’s unclear whether those arrested following the shooting will be charged with a crime. At Thursday morning’s press conference Graves told reporters that police had yet to file charges, noting “This is still under investigation. We do have 24 hours until we either have to file charges or release them.”
Three people, including two juveniles, were detained in connection with Wednesday’s shooting near Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebration, official said.
At Thursday’s press conference, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves acknowledged that her office has 24 hours from the time they were taken into custody to charge or release them.
Graves said that it remains an active investigation and urged anyone with information or evidence, including video footage of the incident, to contact police.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/kansas-city-shooting-live-updates-witnesses-describe-the-scene-as-police-are-expected-to-give-update-soon-111425057.html
WM Phoenix Open fans take to social media over pause on entry and stoppage of alcohol sales
WM Phoenix Open fans take to social media over pause on entry and stoppage of alcohol sales
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Entry into the WM Phoenix Open was paused on Saturday afternoon due to “larger than usual crowds,” Scottsdale Police said.
The Thunderbirds blamed wet weather for creating wet and soggy conditions leading to the crowds, saying, “This pushed patrons who would normally congregate in those areas into high-foot-traffic areas causing severe congestion at key points on event grounds including the entrance and exit.”
Nevertheless, fans chose to air their grievances on social media.
Organizers announced entrance closures and a stoppage of the shuttle service to the event at 2:05 p.m. Alcohol sales in some locations were also put on pause, Scottsdale Police said.
“Due to the larger than usual crowds, alcohol sales were stopped at certain locations by SPD to encourage people to move to open areas on the course,” Scottsdale PD explained.
Scottsdale Police say by not allowing more fans into the event, people will begin to move around or exit to make room for others.
“This has been done in previous years when there are larger than usual crowds,” police said.
The shuttle service back to the parking lots is still operating.
WM Phoenix Open: Fans upset over closed entrances
‘We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience’
The Thunderbirds released a statement on what happened Saturday, saying in full:
“As an organization, our fans and their safety is our top priority.
Due to steady rainfall in Scottsdale this week that created deteriorating course conditions, we unfortunately had to close the gates at the tournament entrance and stop allowing fans to enter the golf course on Saturday afternoon.
The stadium-style course layout at TPC Scottsdale which features large banks for crowds to stand and sit, were soggy and unusable. This pushed patrons who would normally congregate in those areas into high-foot-traffic areas causing severe congestion at key points on event grounds including the entrance and exit.
After consulting with event partners and officials, we made the decision to temporarily close the tournament entrance to alleviate crowding in those areas in the interest of public safety.
We know that fans with Saturday tickets were turned away. The Thunderbirds as an organization are gathering more details and discussing options on how to remedy their concerns.
To the greatest fans in golf, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused as we always strive to create the best event possible.”
Fans react
Fans, however, are taking to social media to air grievances over the management of the event.
Some say alcohol sales are stopped entirely, that tickets are not being scanned at entry and that water and food aren’t being sold.
“It was sold out, they knew how many people were coming. Guess what? It didn’t happen. Too many people came in … no more beer. That’s it. So now we’re just going to have fun without any beer the rest of the day,” a fan said.
Another fan said, “There are people that came out of town specifically to come on Saturday.”
“I think it was difficult for them because it was raining. There were a lot of paths people would take. It would get super muddy, so they would have to take different routes,” a third fan said.
Saturday’s event was sold out as of Feb. 4, WM Phoenix Open spokesperson Ryan Woodcock said, adding “as the tournament has put a cap on tickets for the two biggest days of tournament week.”
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/wm-phoenix-open-fans-take-to-social-media-over-pause-on-entry-an
73 dead in stampede at Philippine game show
2/4/24
An official probe has been ordered into the cause of a stampede that broke out at a Philippines stadium today, killing 73 people and injuring more than 300 in a crush to attend a popular game show that was giving away cash and prizes.
Some people had camped for days to get into the taping of the Wow-wow-wee variety show, and officials said they did not know what triggered the crush outside the gates of the stadium in the Manila suburb of Pasig.
“We were hoping to get a chance to win money,” said housewife Esperanza Marasigan, desperately searching for her relatives in the mayhem. “We never thought this would turn out to be a nightmare.”
Philippine Red Cross chief Richard Gordon said authorities had revised the death toll down to 73 from 88 after finding that some of the fatalities had been counted twice.
Most of the 392 people injured were not in serious condition, and many had been treated and released, he added.
President Gloria Arroyo ordered an official probe into the cause of the horrific dawn accident in eastern Manila outside the set of the show, carried by ABS-CBN television.
Police said more than 10,000 people had showed up outside the Ultra stadium, built in the 1970s, as early as Thursday to secure limited seats to the noontime show.
Ms Arroyo later visited area hospitals to comfort the injured, and pledged to release results of the official probe in 72 hours.
Bodies were brought out of the stadium and placed on a litter-filled street, covered with plastic bags or newspapers. Some relatives stroked the faces of their dead loved ones, mourning and in shock after the melee.
Melvin Salazar, 17, tried to console his father, who refused to let go of the body of his wife as a paramedic tried to intervene.
“We were just coming to have a good time with the family,” the son said.
The cause of the stampede was unclear, with some officials saying someone had shouted “bomb,” sparking a panic that caused people to trample one another.
Pasig deputy police chief Romeo Abaring said they were still investigating the incident and that they could not say if the crush had been triggered by the alleged bomb threat.
“The reason for the stampede was a lot of people converging on one spot,” said Mr Abaring, noting that the crowd had surged towards the sole entrance to Ultra stadium, a narrow passageway where most of the dead were found.
Most of the victims were middle-aged or elderly women. Some of the dead still had their eyes open.
“These people just didn’t know what hit them,” one rescue worker said.
Many people had camped outside the stadium for days, hoping to win minibuses or houses or even the top prize of one million pesos, a special offering for the show’s one-year anniversary.
Hundreds of fans were still outside the stadium hours after the tragedy, waiting to get into the show.
Willie Revillame, the host of Wow-wow-wee, initially said he wanted the show to go on but ABS-CBN later said they would postpone it.
“We only wanted to make these people happy and to help the poor,” Mr Revillame said, breaking down during an interview aired by the station.
Mr Revillame later appeared before thousands of people inside the stadium to tell them that the show would be postponed and to appeal for understanding.
“Please don’t be angry at us,” he told the crowd. “Don’t be worried. We will find a way to care for the injured and the dead.”
-AFP
Soccer Fan Stabbed at Levi’s Stadium Sues Santa Clara, 49ers
Paul Steinbach
2/7/24
A soccer fan who was stabbed at Levi’s Stadium last summer during the CONCACAF Gold Cup is suing the city of Santa Clara, Calif., and the San Francisco 49ers, alleging that there wasn’t proper security to prevent someone from bringing a knife into the venue
As reported by The Mercury News in San Jose, a fight broke out in the stands during the July 2 match between Mexico and Qatar, and the plaintiff, Emmanuel Diaz Leal Soto, was stabbed near the upper collarbone, police said at the time. A 29-year-old man was arrested several days later at his Sacramento home on suspicion of attempted murder.
In the lawsuit, Soto argues that the game was “high profile,” between two known rivals and that it wasn’t staffed with security accordingly, Grace Hase of The Mercury News reported. He argued that his injuries could have been prevented “through reasonable measures,” such as ejecting people “exhibiting drunk or disorderly conduct, throwing or launching objects at other persons, or those persons exhibiting violent conduct/behavior.”
“During the game, fans of both Mexico and Qatar repeatedly taunted and yelled at one another,” the lawsuit said, as reported by The Mercury News. “Despite the tensions in the stands, and the clear signs of intimidation towards spectators rooting for their respective teams, including Mr. Soto, the Stadium Defendants and/or the Government failed to properly respond or properly address the safety concerns and reasonably intervene to aid Mr. Soto.”
The lawsuit alleges that the stadium, which is owned by the 49ers, also didn’t employ “reasonable technology and/or devices” to prevent a knife, like the one used in the attack, from being brought in.
As a result of the stabbing, the lawsuit said that Soto has suffered from physical pain, emotional suffering, loss of income and medical expenses. He’s looking for more than $35,000 in damages.
“The incident raised concerns about security at the stadium last year — especially in light of the upcoming Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup matches, which will be held there in 2026,” Hase wrote. “Some of the scrutiny was on Francine Melendez Hughes, the stadium’s new general manager of operations. Before coming to Levi’s Stadium, Hughes was an executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was in charge of stadium security in 2011 when San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was brutally beaten in the stadium’s parking lot.”
Spokespersons for Levi’s Stadium and Santa Clara declined requests from The Mercury News for comment.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/safety-security/article/15663674/soccer-fan-stabbed-at-levis-stadium-sues-santa-clara-49ers?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD240207003&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
Man Faces Years in Prison for Flying Drone Over AFC Championship Game
Paul Steinbach,
2/4/24
A Pennsylvania man is facing felony federal charges and years in federal prison in connection with flying a drone over Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium during the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 28.
As reported by Baltimore CBS affiliate WJZ, Matthew Herbert, 44, from Chadds Ford, Pa., is being charged for illegally operating the drone, which caused a delay during the playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Illegally operating drones poses a significant security risk that will lead to federal charges,” said United States attorney Erek Barron, “Temporary flight restrictions are always in place during large sporting events.”
“Operating a drone requires users to act responsibly and educate themselves on when and how to use them safely,” said acting special agent in charge Joseph Rothrock of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI would like to remind the public of the potential dangers of operating a drone in violation of federal laws and regulations. The reckless operation of a UAS [unmanned aircraft system] in the vicinity of a large crowd can be dangerous to the public, as well as interfere with other law enforcement and security operations.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the Federal Aviation Administration put in place a temporary flight restriction (TFR) for M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Jan. 28 during the National Football League AFC Championship game, which precluded the flight of any UAS, including flying a UAS under the Exception for Recreational Flyers, WJZ’s Adam Thompson reported.
A TFR temporarily restricts certain aircraft, including a UAS, from operating within a three nautical mile radius of the stadium.
According to the Department of Justice, during the game, “the incursion of an unidentified and unapproved drone was deemed a serious enough threat that NFL Security temporarily suspended the game.”
Maryland State Police Troopers tracked the movement of the drone directly over the stadium and deployed to the area where the drone landed in the 500 block of South Sharp Street in Baltimore.
Hebert was located at that location and spoke with law enforcement, according to the DOJ.
Hebert told officers that he purchased a DJI UAS in 2021 and used the DJI account to operate the drone. The drone was not registered, nor did Hebert possess a Remote Pilot certificate to operate it.
According to WJZ’s Thompson, Hebert allegedly flew the drone approximately 100 meters or higher for approximately two minutes. According to the affidavit, while in flight, Hebert captured approximately six photos of himself and the stadium and may have taken a video, as well.
If convicted, Hebert faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for knowingly operating an unregistered UAS and for knowingly serving as an airman without an airman’s certificate. Other reports, including one from Business Insider, put the potential prison time at up to four years.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/safety-security/article/15663586/man-faces-years-in-prison-for-flying-drone-over-afc-championship-game?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD240206005&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T