A Florida man was sentenced Friday to four months in federal prison for assaulting a gate agent at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Chad E. Meacham.
Keith Charles Owens, 53, faced charges initially filed in November 2024 and entered a guilty plea in January 2025 to interfering with security screening personnel. U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor sentenced Owens to four months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay nearly $6,000 in restitution.
READ: Arrest Made In Florida Homicide After Child Found Wandering Covered In Blood
According to his plea agreement, Owens admitted to assaulting an American Airlines gate agent on October 5, 2024, at DFW Airport. Security footage of the incident captured Owens striking the gate agent multiple times in the head.
Court records detail that on the day of the incident, Owens arrived at gate A36 around 4:42 p.m., claiming he was late and attempting to scan his boarding pass. Upon being informed that he was at the wrong gate, Owens reportedly directed profanity at the gate agent before walking away. The gate agent then alerted personnel at the correct gate, A35, indicating Owens was en route and appeared to be intoxicated.
Owens reportedly accessed the A35 jet bridge without having his boarding pass processed by airline personnel, leading staff to remove him from the area.
READ: Georgia Man Convicted In 2021 Shaking Death Of 1-Year-Old Boy
Moments later, Owens returned to gate A36 at approximately 4:48 p.m., where he allegedly began yelling, grabbed the gate agent by the shoulders, and repeatedly punched him in the face and neck. Airline staff were able to restrain him.
The assault resulted in minor injuries to the gate agent and assisting personnel and caused a delay for the flight departing from gate A36.
The investigation into the incident was conducted collaboratively by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division and the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck prosecuted the case.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
