North Carolina Man Is Sentenced To 14 Months For Interfering With Airport Security Screening Personnel

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Robert J. Conrad, Jr. sentenced Jordan Lee Moore, 31, of Winston Salem, N.C. to 14 months in prison and two years of supervised release on charges of interfering with security screening personnel at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte Douglas), announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina

U.S. Attorney Murray is joined in making today’s announcement by John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on March 30, 2017, Moore had two separate altercation incidents involving airport security screening personnel at Charlotte Douglas.  Moore, a then employee of American Airlines, attempted to force his way through the TSA Pre-Check lane, without proper authorization. Court records show that the first incident occurred at approximately 5:25 p.m., during which Moore used threats and racially derogatory terms toward airport security personnel, while they attempted to stop him from advancing through airport security checkpoints.  Moore did not have proper TSA-precheck security designations on his boarding pass.  Because of his conduct, Moore was instructed by airport security personnel and CMPD officers that he could not fly out of Charlotte Douglas Airport and was ordered to leave the airport. Moore used more derogatory terms toward security personnel, before eventually exiting the airport.

According to court records, Moore later returned to Charlotte Douglas Airport that same evening. Around approximately 7:30 p.m., Moore again attempted to pass through a security checkpoint at the airport, when he was approached by an airport security officer who recognized Moore based on information disseminated at the airport stemming from the earlier incident. The security officer asked Moore for his identification and advised Moore he was not permitted to advance through security, because of his previous incident. Court records show that Moore ignored the security officer’s request and proceeded to the baggage screening area. Security officers again told Moore that he was not allowed to return to the airport and asked him to leave.  Moore ignored their orders, used explicit and threatening terms, and continued to proceed through the airport checkpoint. A CMPD officer at the scene then attempted to detain Moore, who refused the officer’s commands and violently resisted arrest.  Moore was eventually arrested and continued acting in a combative nature, even after he was placed in a police car.

In sentencing Moore, Judge Conrad commented on the importance of respecting airport security personnel, the TSA officers, and maintaining proper decorum at the airport.

Moore pleaded guilty to one count of interference with airport security screening personnel and is currently in federal custody.  Moore will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The FBI and CMPD led the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sanjeev Bhasker and Mike Savage, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.