A man is facing a string of felony charges following a bizarre break-in at a Florida airport that allegedly ended with him spending the night asleep on a JetBlue plane.
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Samuel Prescott Lackey, 32, reportedly scaled an eight-foot barbed-wire fence at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on August 1.
He then allegedly made his way onto a parked JetBlue aircraft, where employees discovered him asleep the following morning.
Authorities have charged Lackey with criminal mischief, burglary of an occupied conveyance and interrupting or impairing critical infrastructure.
Florida Airport Break-In Leads to Bizarre Discovery
Surveillance footage reportedly captured Lackey walking along a service road near the airport before climbing over the security fence.
Investigators say he then entered a hangar and used portable stairs positioned alongside the JetBlue aircraft to climb aboard.
Once inside, Lackey allegedly hid in the plane's lavatory.
Maintenance workers had positioned the stairs against the aircraft ahead of scheduled overnight work, while investigators said the plane's door remained open to provide them with access.
Lackey allegedly remained undetected throughout the night until JetBlue employees conducted a routine interior inspection the following morning and discovered him sleeping inside.
The location of the hangar may have helped Lackey avoid detection for several hours.
The Broward County Aviation Department said the building "was in a remote location away from FLL's passenger terminal complex."
Suspect Was Reportedly on Parole at Time of Incident
State officials have since revealed that Lackey was already on parole in Louisiana for burglary when the alleged airport break-in occurred.
He reportedly admitted to investigators that he scaled the airport's barbed-wire fence, leaving him facing a new series of criminal charges.
"The safety of our customers and crewmembers is JetBlue's first priority. We will assist law enforcement with any relevant investigation," the company said in a statement.
The incident also reportedly caused disruption to JetBlue's operations.
According to court documents, Lackey's actions resulted in the delay of a JetBlue flight and allegedly cost the airline approximately $2,400.
Lackey now faces several felony charges stemming from the incident as the case moves through the legal system.
Authorities have yet to announce what penalties he could ultimately face if convicted, with further details expected as the proceedings continue.
