A Delta stowaway was sentenced to about six months in jail after he was caught snapping photos of multiple passengers’ boarding passes and personal information to get on the aircraft.
On March 17, 2024 Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, 27, boarded a flight in Salt Lake City, Utah that was bound for Austin, Texas by not buying a ticket and instead using others’ information.
Once on the airplane, Fleurizard, a former accountant for Apple, hid in the bathroom onboard to avoid getting caught.
Thinking he was in the clear, Fleurizard – who pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of stowing away on a vessel or aircraft – then exited the laboratory once boarding was complete, but that’s when his plan fell apart.
The pilot and crew caught onto his antics after realizing there were no spare seats available once he got out of the bathroom.
‘Mr. Fleurizard’s actions were not only disruptive to passengers, they also compromised the safety and security for all on board,’ Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI said.
‘The sentence holds him accountable for trespassing, theft, and fraud.’
In addition to being sentenced to about six months behind bars as part of his ‘time served’, Fleurizard must also complete three years of supervised release and was fined $5,000 for his actions on Tuesday.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti said his sentencing sent a ‘clear message to would-be offenders that the District of Utah will not tolerate crimes committed in and around our vital airports.’
‘Airport crimes will be prosecuted,’ Viti added.
Once Fleurizard realized boarding was complete, he made his way to the back of the aircraft, according to the complaint.
He allegedly told a flight attendant his seat was 21F but the employee verified that the person who was already sitting there had a valid ticket.
Staff then searched for Fleurizard’s name on their system and did not find a valid ticket or booking reservation for him on Delta Flight 1683 or any other Delta Flight.
The aircraft was then forced to return to the gate where he was met by law enforcement officers and arrested.
A Delta gate agent later revealed that a young girl had an issue when trying to scan her ticket to board.
The system showed she was already on board despite the fact she was traveling on her own and no one else had any authorization to use it.
Fleurizard allegedly told authorities he had been snowboarding in Park City and needed to get home to see his family who had flown in from Florida.
He said he was given a Southwest ticket by a friend and attempted to leave on March 16, but there were no available seats and was rebooked on March 17, according to the complaint.
However, that flight was overbooked and he left the boarding area. Surveillance footage was reviewed and it allegedly shows him taking photos of multiple passengers’ boarding passes while they were not looking, including the young girl.
Fleurizard is said to have admitted he made a mistake and was just trying to get home.
He has an active warrant out for his arrest in Austin for violating a protective order, although the details are unclear.
Fleurizard has been described by the Austin Police Department – who have an active warrant for his arrest for allegedly violating a protective order – as ‘violent tendencies’ and was previously arrested in June 2023 over claims he assaulted a family member.
Fleurizard worked as a global business solutions accountant from January 2022 to January 2023, according to his Linkedin.
He is currently employed as a CEO at Encore, an entertainment agency in Austin, his page detailed.
In response to Fleurizard’s sentencing, Delta Airlines told DailyMail.com: ‘Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct at our airports and on our aircraft.
‘We will always work with law enforcement to that end as nothing is more important than the safety and security of our customers and people.’
DailyMail.com contacted Encore for comment.