A routine security line at Baltimore/Washington International Airport turned into a federal case this week, as a grand jury indicted 32-year-old Cornelius Queen of Charles County after what authorities describe as a violent confrontation at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. Prosecutors say the disturbance disrupted TSA officers on duty, and surveillance footage played for the grand jury appears to show Queen striking a bystander and that person’s two children before heading toward the screening staff. The federal charges now put Queen on the hook for a potential multi-year prison sentence if he is convicted.
Federal indictment
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Queen has been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers, along with interfering with airport security screening personnel. The office’s public notice states that a federal grand jury returned the indictment and that the case stems from an altercation at BWI’s security checkpoint.
What prosecutors allege
Fox45 Baltimore reports that prosecutors told the grand jury the incident happened on April 2. Surveillance video shown to jurors allegedly depicts Queen attacking a bystander and that bystander’s two children before confronting TSA lead officers at a screening lane. Prosecutors also claimed Queen tried to attack another bystander during the same episode, according to the station’s report. They further told the grand jury that, if he is convicted on the federal counts, Queen could face up to 18 years in prison.
Legal process and penalties
The federal assault-on-officers statute, as outlined by Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, allows for different maximum penalties depending on factors such as bodily injury or use of a weapon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes that an indictment is only a formal accusation and not evidence of guilt, and that Queen remains presumed innocent unless and until the government proves its case in court.
What’s next
Authorities have not publicly clarified when Queen will be arraigned or whether he is currently in custody. Upcoming court filings, hearing dates, and other developments are expected to appear in federal court records and through updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This account will be updated as new official information becomes available.
