Michael Anthony Minko, 36, of White Springs, Florida, was sentenced to two concurrent sentences of two months imprisonment, after pleading guilty to two counts of intimidating a flight attendant of an aircraft in flight in the United States.
On July 18, 2017, Minko intimidated two Spirit Airlines flight attendants on a flight from Newark, New Jersey to Fort Lauderdale, and interfered with the performance of their duties. Specifically, after the flight departed, the defendant drank an excessive amount of whiskey from a bottle in his possession and consumed prescription alprazolam (generic form of Xanax). During the course of the flight, Minko cursed, used abusive language, made verbal threats and exhibited threatening actions. Miko reportedly called a flight attendant “n—— bitch” and “slave” before threatening to kill her.
The Miami Herald reported: “(Minko) said he was going to kill R.N. and everyone else by blowing up the plane,” the stipulated facts statement says.
A flight attendant identified as “B.B.” told Minko to give the bottle to her.
“The defendant called B.B. a n—– bitch and a slave several times and told B.B. that he would kill her,” the statement says.
A fearful B.B. backed off, although she did give Minko a barf bag when he started hollering again about being sick.
Minko also began punching the woman’s seat in front of him, pushed another passenger in the first row, then decided to punch the airplane window on his right.
As a result, a flight attendant and three passengers used plastic flex cuffs to secure Minko’s hands behind his back.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered Minko to report on Friday, February 23, 2018, to commence his term of imprisonment at that time, thereby allowing the defendant to continue his treatment at an alcohol and drug treatment facility.
