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Crime Aboard an Aircraft

What happens when a crime occurs on an airplane?

It becomes a federal crime and if you’ve been charged with a crime while on an airplane, your case will be handled in federal court.

So, you’ll need a criminal defense lawyer who can represent clients at the federal level. In New Hampshire, you should call Michael Anzalone at The Anzalone Law Firm in Nashau, New Hampshire. He handles a wide array of federal and state court cases and will be happy to represent you in court.

It doesn’t matter where the flight took off from, or where it is heading. If you are arrested due to an incident on an aircraft, the federal government will have jurisdiction. That means federal agencies will investigate and federal prosecutors will try your case before a federal judge.

The penalties can be swift and harsh. So be prepared. The best way to prepare for your case is to make sure you have a criminal defense attorney who is well-versed in cases involving airplane crimes.

If you are convicted at the federal level, you may be facing harsh penalties. Your attorney can help prepare you for this and you can read about it in the federal statutes.

One other thing you should note. An airplane is considered in flight in the United States from the point in which the doors are closed after boarding until the moment the doors open upon landing. So, any incident that occurs during this time is a federal crime.

The crimes are wide ranging and are not limited to the following: interfering with security screening, interfering with a flight crew member, aircraft piracy, possessing a firearm or explosive or incendiary device, threatening to commit any one of these offenses or providing false information about any of these offenses.

The special aircraft jurisdiction makes certain that state crimes become federal offenses when committed on an airplane. For example, murder is typically a state crime. But if you kill someone on an airplane, the crime is investigated and tried at the federal level.

These are the kinds of things that criminal defense attorney Michael Anzalone will explain to you during an initial consultation.

At The Anzalone Law Firm, we will make your case a top priority and we won’t judge you. We understand we are representing you during a dark period and we will work to get justice for you.

You can expect federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration and others, depending on the circumstances, to be involved in your case. After Sept. 11, 2001, federal prosecutors don’t take airplane offenses lightly and they prosecutor suspects to the highest level.

So, be prepared.

And, if you are arrested, you should call an attorney as quickly as possible. It’s imperative that you should avoid talking to investigators about your case until you consult with your lawyer because anything you tell them can be used against you.

The first thing you need to do is call The Anzalone Law Firm for a free consultation today.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
Great lawyer...Professional, organized, caring and effective. Michael is very informative and was always willing to explain the reasons behind what was being done. Can't say enough about how helpful he was every step of the way. It was really nice to feel like I actually understood what was going on with my case. Catherine Veilleux