Unruly passenger who forced flight to be diverted to MSP charged with cocaine possession

A passenger whose unruly behavior forced a flight en route to San Francisco to divert to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has been charged with cocaine possession, according to the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A criminal complaint states JetBlue flight 915, which was traveling from New York to San Francisco on Sunday night, was diverted because a man, identified as Mark Anthony Scerbo, 42, of Mechanicville, New York, was acting erratically.

According to witness accounts, Scerbo was pacing the aisle of the airplane with a butter knife in hand and snorting white powder. A JetBlue spokesperson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the man was threatening crew members and other passengers.

The complaint states a flight attendant found a bag containing a white powdery substance, which later tested positive for cocaine. Upon landing in Minneapolis, MSP Airport Police took Scerbo into custody and confiscated the drugs.

Scerbo is charged with one count of possession of cocaine. If convicted, he faces a maximum prison sentence of three years and a minimum fine of $5,000.

The FBI is investigating the case.