Man charged with flying illegal drone around Dallas Stadium during World Cup

A Honduran man was charged Monday with illegally flying a drone in restricted airspace around Dallas Stadium during the FIFA World Cup, federal authorities said.

Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, was charged via criminal complaint with owning an unregistered aircraft operated by another person, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Texas.

Ordonez is accused of flying his unregistered drone, a DJI Mini 3 PRO, in airspace around the stadium while a temporary flight restriction was in effect, according to the criminal complaint. In order to legally operate his drone, Ordonez needed to have the aircraft registered with the Federal Aviation Administration and been a licensed drone pilot, among other requirements.

Interception of the drone was part of countersurveillance operations conducted around the World Cup match that afternoon, officials said. So far, 20 drones have been seized during the two matches held in Arlington, according to the statement.

A “no-fly zone” remains in effect around Dallas Stadium for three hours prior to and three hours after each match played there, FBI officials said.

If convicted, Ordonez faces up to three years in federal prison.