A Mexican national and legal U. S.
resident pleaded guilty on June 30, 2026, to federal charges for attacking a fellow passenger with a homemade shank during an Alaska Airlines flight.
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Julio Alvarez Lopez entered the plea in federal court to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, reversing his initial not guilty plea from March 2024.
The incident occurred aboard flight AS-604 on January 24, 2024, as the plane descended toward Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
Attack with Pen Weapon
According to federal prosecutors, Lopez fashioned a weapon using three ink pens bound tightly with hair bands.
Witnesses stated that Lopez appeared fidgety during the two-hour flight before he stood up, punched, and repeatedly stabbed the victim in the body and eye area.
An off-duty law enforcement officer intervened to halt the attack, and flight attendants used flexi-cuffs to restrain Lopez for the remainder of the journey.
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The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department took Lopez into custody upon landing, and the victim required surgical stitches for severe lacerations.
During a post-arrest interview, Lopez waived his Miranda rights and admitted he prepared the weapon prior to the flight.
He stated he targeted the traveler because he believed the person was looking at him in a harassing manner.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and local police investigated the assault.
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Under the federal plea agreement, Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for September 22, 2026.
