A Florida man who flew a gyrocopter through miles of America’s most restricted airspace prior to landing at the U.S. Capitol is now facing charges that carry up to almost a decade in prison. The U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia stated on Wednesday that a grand jury has indicted Douglas Hughes on six charges. He is set to appear at U.S. District Court on Thursday at 1:45 p.m. A federal public defender representing 61-year-old Hughes did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hughes, who took off from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was arrested on April 15 after he purposely landed on the Capitol’s West Lawn. Hughes said that the purpose of his flight was to call attention to the influence of big money in politics.
The charges Hughes now faces include: operating as an airman without proper certification and contravening aircraft registration requirements. Those charges carry a maximum of three years in jail. He is also facing three misdemeanor offences of violating national defense airspace (each carrying a maximum of one year behind bars). Hughes had been previously employed as a postal carrier and lives in Ruskin, Florida. Additionally, there is a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle falsely labeled as a postal carrier. That charge carries a statutory maximum of six months in prison. The charges Hughes faces also carry potential fines. If convicted, the judge will order him to forfeit the gyrocopter. During a court appearance the day after his arrest, Hughes was placed on home detention and barred from operating any aircraft.
