Brazilian man charged after plane diverted to Iowa airport

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Federal prosecutors in Iowa have charged a Brazilian man accused of causing a flight from Calgary, Canada, to Chicago to be diverted to Cedar Rapids.

Prosecutors said Friday that 33-year-old Guilherme Alves De Melo was charged Tuesday with one count of intimidating a flight crew member.

A complaint says that on June 23, Alves became disruptive and “lost it” about an hour before the plane was scheduled to land. That led some passengers to restrain him with zip ties provided by the flight crew before the plane landed in eastern Iowa.

Alves was charged in Iowa with disorderly conduct for yelling obscenities as he was arrested by Cedar Rapids police. He pleaded guilty to that charge the next day and paid a $100 fine.

If convicted on the federal charge, Alves faces up to 20 years in prison.