An Australian traveler has been charged with assaulting a TSA officer at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after he mistakenly thought the federal agent had stolen his carry-on bag and passport… It turned out, however, that the man had left his belongings at a restaurant.
Given the TSA officer’s status as a federal law enforcement officer, Thomas Jesse Bingham, 35, of Melbourne, Australia, faces a potential maximum sentence of eight years imprisonment if he is found guilty.
The incident occurred on March 15, the Justice Department revealed, when Bingham accused the TSA officer of stealing his backpack and passport as the officer was exiting a restroom in the terminal connector between Terminals 6 and 7 at LAX.
Bingham, who was booked on a flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, proceeded to violently assault the TSA officer, grabbing and pulling his hair, pushing him against a glass wall, and ripping off his TSA identification lanyard from around his neck.
The Los Angeles Airport Police were called, and Bingham’s missing belongings were later found at an airport restaurant that he had visited earlier.
Bingham was arrested but was later released from custody. He then attempted to flee the United States and was re-arrested as he tried to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
News of Bingham’s arrest comes just days after a Southwest Airlines passenger was arrested at Dallas Love Field Airport on allegations that he seriously injured a police officer and assaulted two TSA agents after his identity could not be verified.
33-year-old Idress Vinay Solomon from Oakland had arrived at the TSA security checkpoint without a valid REAL ID, so he had to go through additional identity verification checks.
After these checks failed to verify his identity, prosecutors claim Solomon became abusive. Police were called to the checkpoint, and Solomon flew into a wild rage, violently punching a law enforcement officer multiple times in the face.
The police officer was so badly injured that he sustained a serious orbital blowout fracture to his left eye and had to be transported to the hospital.
Solomon then attacked a TSA agent, repeatedly punching him, before backup arrived and several officers managed to restrain Solomon. As he was being led to a police vehicle, Solomon then allegedly spat on the arm of one of the officers.
Solomon faces charges that carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
