Halloween flight fight could net Gardnerville man 20 years in prison

A Gardnerville man faces up to 20 years in prison after he admitted Monday to interfering with flight crew members and assault during a Halloween 2019 flight from Seattle to Las Vegas.

Daniel A. Parkhurst, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Parkhurst is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Chief Judge Miranda M. Du on June 24.

Parkhurst touched a woman’s upper inner thigh and when she complained he created a disturbance by “engaging in abusive sexual conduct and interfered with the performance of duties of the flight crew.”

According to court documents and admissions made in court by Parkhurst, on October 31, 2019, he threatened and intimidated the staff on a Southwest Airlines flight from Seattle to Las Vegas.

“During the flight, he assaulted another passenger,” federal prosecutors said. “The resulting disturbance involved flight attendants and other passengers and interfered with the performance of the flight crew’s and flight attendants’ duties,” prosecutors said. “Parkhurst’s actions caused the aircraft to be diverted from its flight to Las Vegas, instead landing in Reno.”

The statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for interference with flight crew members and attendants, and six months in prison for simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge W.M. Herrington for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Reno-Tahoe International Airport Police Department, Office of the Nevada Attorney General, Douglas County and Carson City sheriff’s offices.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randolph St. Clair and Penelope Brady are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has been assaulted onboard an aircraft is asked report the incident to the flight crew and to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI, or contact your local FBI office.