Maryland Man Facing Federal Felony Charges For Illegally Operating A Drone During The National Football League Wild Card Game
A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Alexis Perez Suarez, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, on federal felony charges related to flying a drone over M&T Bank Stadium during a National Football League Wild Card Game in Baltimore on January 11, 2025.
“If you are going to fly a drone, you are responsible for learning all the laws and requirements to responsibly operate it. Failing to do so will not excuse you from the consequences of breaking the law,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office.
“Federal laws and regulations related to owning and operating drones are in place to protect the public and our nation’s airspace,” said Greg Thompson, Special Agent in Charge of DOT OIG’s Mid-Atlantic Region. “We will continue to partner with law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue those whose actions jeopardize public safety.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on January 11, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration had put in place a temporary flight restriction (TFR) for M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore during the NFL Wild Card game, which precluded the flight of any UAS, including flying a UAS under the Exception for Recreational Flyers. A TFR temporarily restricts certain aircraft, including an UAS, from operating within a three nautical mile radius of the stadium. This is a standard practice for stadiums or sporting venues where a regular or postseason Major League Baseball, NFL, or NCAA Division I Game is occurring; or a NASCAR Cup, Indy Car, or Champ Series Race is occurring. The TFR goes into effect one hour before the scheduled start time and lasts until one hour after the end of a qualifying event.
During the game, the incursion of an unidentified and unapproved drone was deemed a serious enough threat that NFL Security temporarily suspended the game. MSP Troopers and FBI Special Agents tracked the movement of the drone over the stadium and deployed it to the area where the drone landed in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite Suarez having left the scene, law enforcement was able to track down his whereabouts.
Read more: Department of Justice