Overview
- He was sentenced on Jan. 13 to 18 months in prison with two years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa.
- Nikprelaj pleaded guilty in September to one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
- On the July 17 Delta Connection Flight 3612 operated by SkyWest from Omaha to Detroit, he refused to keep his seatbelt fastened, confronted crew and passengers, and manipulated an emergency exit door, leading to an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids.
- Prosecutors said he threatened to kill an 80-year-old flight attendant, shoved him, removed his shirt, walked the aisle, and took a swing at passengers.
- Cedar Rapids police arrested him after landing and reported finding a prescription bottle with 41 pills of purported Xanax not in his name, noting separate local charges and a prior record that includes assaulting a police officer and domestic violence.