A former resident of Scarborough, Maine, Garrett McDonald, was sentenced for assaulting a federal officer. McDonald, aged 28, received a two-year probation sentence from U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen in Portland this Wednesday. The sentence came after McDonald pleaded guilty on October 22, 2024.
The altercation took place on August 6, 2023, when McDonald was removed from a flight at the Portland International Jetport. The request for his removal was made by the airline crew due to his behavior. A Portland police officer, along with a security officer from the Federal Air Marshal Service, escorted McDonald off the plane. After exiting the aircraft, McDonald engaged in a verbal dispute over his removal. He then proceeded to push one of the officers and resisted arrest. During the incident, the officers managed to cuff one of McDonald's wrists, but he freed his other arm and struck the federal officer with his fist.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, alongside the Federal Air Marshal Service and the Portland Police Department.