Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against a citizen of Mexico for flying a drone without authorization, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. The flight took place in protected airspace, the Justice Department said, and occurred in the period before a FIFA World Cup match.
The unauthorized operation violated federal law, according to the Justice Department. Flying a drone in restricted airspace around a major sporting event carries federal criminal exposure, and the complaint formalizes the government's case against the individual.
The Justice Department did not identify the defendant by name in the publicly released information. The charge centers on the absence of proper authorization for the drone flight, which took place in airspace designated as off-limits ahead of the World Cup fixture.