Brazilian National Faces Charges for Airplane Take-Down Threats

MIAMI – Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, along with Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach, have announced charges against Francisco Fernando Cruz, 22, a citizen of Brazil, in connection with a terroristic threat aimed at derailing a TAM Airline flight.

The defendant is accused of sending an email to Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) and TAM Airlines, claiming that the flight from Miami to Brasilia would “go down.” The threat was made just days before the scheduled departure on January 10, 2014.

“Law enforcement remains ever vigilant for threats to domestic and international air travel,” said U.S. Attorney Ferrer. “We will leave no stone unturned when a threat to the safety of air passengers is made.”

Miami-Dade State Attorney Fernandez Rundle emphasized the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies, noting that “South Florida’s law enforcement professionals, working together like clockwork, will not let fear hamper our ability to travel and live our lives productively.”

According to the FBI, Miami Dade PD, Customs and Border Protection, and the Newark office worked tirelessly to ensure the flight was not disrupted. MDPD traced the origin of the email to a computer at Montclair State University in New Jersey and identified Cruz as the sender.

Cruz faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. The case is set for pretrial detention hearing on January 14, 2014, and arraignment on January 24, 2014. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Gilbert and Jaime Galvin are prosecuting the case.

RELATED: Gun Parts Kingpin Faces Decades After Brazil Trafficking Conviction