December 17, 2011 - A Watertown man was charged this week with disrupting an Amsterdam bound flight from Boston’s Logan International Airport, last month. In a criminal complaint issued on Dec. 12, Kurt Haberstroh, 20, was charged with interfering with the performance of duties of a flight crew member or flight attendant. He is scheduled to appear in federal court for a probable cause hearing on Jan. 5, 2012. 

The federal complaint alleges that on Nov. 17, 2011, Haberstroh boarded Delta Airlines Flight 230 for Amsterdam at Logan Airport. During the flight, Haberstroh allegedly physically attacked his traveling companion, yelling profanities, insulting the flight crew, and failed to obey the directions of the flight crew.  

Four hours into the flight, Haberstroh further alarmed passengers and crew by apparently attempting to punch his way out of the rear lavatory when he couldn’t immediately open it, according to the complaint. 

Haberstroh was taken into custody by federal agents traveling on the same flight. Upon landing in Amsterdam, Haberstroh was denied entry into the Netherlands and was returned to the U.S. Delta spokesman Anthony Black said the plane did not have to divert from its scheduled route “Any time there’s a passenger disruption on aircraft that interferes with the ability of the crew to do their job, it’s always a serious matter," Black said. "The crews are trained to handle the matter professionally. We have very experienced crews and they are well versed in how to handle those situations.” 

He was arrested on Monday, following the issuance of the federal criminal complaint. He was held in federal custody overnight, and released on Tuesday after a hearing before a federal magistrate judge in Boston. Haberstroh has been ordered to undergo random drug testing, surrender his passport, avoid contact with any potential witness in the case, and reside with one of his parents. Haberstroh is also restricted from taking commercial flights. 

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal-Boston Field Division; and Timothy O’Connor, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Air Marshal Service made the announcement. If convicted, Haberstroh faces up to 20 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.