Man accused of flying drone at California NFL games charged

SAN FRANCISCO – Federal authorities have charged a California man accused of using a drone to drop anti-media leaflets on crowds at two NFL games in the San Francisco Bay Area with violating national defence airspace regulations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General on Wednesday announced the charges against Tracy Michael Mapes of North Highlands.

Authorities have said Mapes on Nov. 26, 2017 sent his drone over Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara during a San Francisco 49ers-Seattle Seahawks game.

They have said he then piloted it over Oakland Coliseum during an Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos game.

Police said the leaflets had content about free speech and Mapes’ belief that television stations are corrupt.

Mapes did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via Facebook.

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This story has been corrected to say that the charges were announced by the Department of Transportation, not the Department of the Interior.

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