A man was indicted in Las Vegas on charges of assaulting Transportation Security Officers and attempting to enter a secure area of Harry Reid International Airport with a false boarding pass. The incident, which occurred on November 3, resulted in a scuffle where Jhon Raul Vizcaino Ramirez, originally from Cuba, allegedly slapped and kicked airport security personnel, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The indictment claims that Ramirez tried to use a boarding pass not in his name to gain access to a restricted area. Upon being asked for his identification, which he refused to provide, and later when a security officer would not hand back the boarding pass, Ramirez reportedly became aggressive. Attempting to restrain him, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were called and Ramirez resisted, reportedly kicking one officer twice and a Transportation Security Officer who was aiding to detain him, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office of Nevada, "Ramirez is charged with two counts of interference with security screening personnel; two counts of assault, resisting, or impeding person assisting certain officers or employees; and one count of entry by false pretenses to secure area of any airport." His trial has been scheduled for February 9, 2026, before United States District Chief Judge Andrew P. Gordon.
Ramirez's presence in the United States has been a contentious issue. After being found near Yuma, Arizona, by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in 2022, following an illegal crossing from Mexico, he was released due to a lack of detention space. Since then, Ramirez has remained in the U.S. illegally. Following the altercation at the airport, ICE has placed a detainer on him, indicating that he will be transferred to their custody upon the conclusion of his federal criminal charges. Assistant United States Attorney Tina Snellings is prosecuting the case. While an indictment does signify serious allegations, it is important to remember, as the U.S. Attorney's Office notes, that all defendants are "presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
The indictment signifies yet another layer of complexity in the ongoing conversation surrounding airport security and the handling of individuals found to be in the country unauthorized. TSA Investigations, with support from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to Ramirez's indictment, as per the U.S. Attorney's Officehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/cuban-national-indicted-assaulting-transportation-security-officers-las-vegas.
