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A Pennsylvania man could reportedly be looking at prison time for messing with CBS’ broadcast of the AFC Championship Game.
For those that may remember the game was briefly paused for an “administrative timeout” due to an unidentified drone flying too close to the action.
Now 44-year-old Matthew Hebert has been charged with several federal felonies for his illegal flying and is also under scrutiny for operating the drone without proper certification. If convicted on all charges, Hebert would face up to four years in prison.
Pennsylvania man faces up to four years in federal prison for illegally flying drone over the #NFL AFC Championship, per @AP
“44-year-old Matthew Hebert of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, has been charged with three felony counts relating to the operation of an unregistered drone,… pic.twitter.com/YgnSfJ4NPK
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 7, 2024
“Illegally operating drones poses a significant security risk that will lead to federal charges,” U.S. attorney Erek Barron said in a release. “Temporary flight restrictions are always in place during large sporting events.”
Special agent R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI took things a step further with his statement. Explaining:
Operating a drone requires users to act responsibly and educate themselves on when and how to use them safely. The FBI would like to remind the public of the potential dangers of operating a drone in violation of federal laws and regulations. The reckless operation of a UAS in the vicinity of a large crowd can be dangerous to the public, as well as interfere with other law enforcement and security operations.
Hebert’s drone was reportedly unregistered and allegedly took six photos of M&T Bank Stadium along with a video as well.