Man Indicted for Assaulting TSA Officers at Las Vegas Airport

Incident Overview

A man has been formally charged after aggressively confronting TSA officers at Harry Reid International Airport while attempting to board a Southwest Airlines flight using a boarding pass that was not issued to him.

Attempt to Use Someone Else’s Ticket

The event occurred on November 3, when 30-year-old J.R.V.R. tried to board a flight destined for Rochester, New York, with a boarding pass registered under a woman’s name. TSA agents at Terminal 1 grew suspicious and questioned him about the ticket.

One TSA officer, who was serving as a Spanish interpreter, requested identification from the suspect. V.R. produced a passport sealed inside a plastic bag but refused to hand it over, prompting further tension.

Escalation and Assault

As the situation escalated due to V.R.’s refusal to cooperate, he assaulted a TSA officer by hitting him on the right side of the head, causing the officer’s glasses to fall off. When law enforcement arrived, V.R. resisted arrest.

Two police officers patrolling the airport intervened to detain him. During the confrontation, V.R. kicked one officer in the head and arm. Additionally, he grabbed a pen from one of the officers and attempted to stab both officers. Eventually, he was subdued and handcuffed. One officer required medical treatment following the altercation.

Legal Charges and Proceedings

The suspect now faces multiple federal charges, which include two counts of interfering with security personnel, two counts of assaulting law enforcement assistants, and entering a secure airport zone under false pretenses. In total, five federal charges have been filed against him.

At a hearing held on November 24, Judge Elayna Youchah ordered that V.R. be detained without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. His arraignment is set for December 12.