Air Force veteran accused of causing flight to divert to Maine is released on $20,000 bail

Fla. man accused in flight diversion released

BANGOR, Maine — A Florida man accused of causing a trans-Atlantic flight to be diverted to Bangor, Maine, has been released on $20,000 bail.

Stipulations of Derek Stansberry’s release require him to live at his girlfriend’s parents’ home in Matamoras, Pa. The prosecution did not object Friday in federal court to his release pending trial for allegedly giving false information and making threats to aviation officials, and interfering with a flight crew.

Prosecutors say Stansberry passed along a note that said he had a fake passport and told federal air marshals that he had dynamite aboard a Paris-to-Atlanta flight on April 27.

The Air Force veteran was working for a defense contractor in Africa. Stansberry’s lawyers say his actions were out of character, and he has no criminal record.