Department of Justice statement:
WASHINGTON – Douglas Hughes, 62, of Ruskin, Fla., was sentenced today to 120 days in jail on a federal charge stemming from the April 15, 2015, incident in which he flew a gyrocopter into Washington, D.C., and landed on the West Front lawn of the Capitol, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, and Tammy L. Whitcomb, Acting Inspector General for the United States Postal Service.
Hughes pled guilty on Nov. 20, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a felony charge of operating as an airman without an airman’s certificate. He was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who stated that his actions showed a “total lack of concern and disregard” for the safety of others. Following completion of his prison term, Hughes will be placed on one year of supervised release; during that time, he is to stay away from the U.S. Capitol and White House. Also, as part of his plea agreement, he agreed to the forfeiture of his gyrocopter, which was seized on the day of the incident. Continue reading →