Pot charges for man who violated Obama LA airspace
Mar 22, 2012, 2:27 AM
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) – A California man whose plane was intercepted by Air Force F-16 fighter jets last month because it entered the same Los Angeles airspace as President Barack Obama’s helicopter has been charged with possession of marijuana and transporting it for sale.
Police in Long Beach, where 43-year-old Brian Choppin was forced to land his Cessna, said they found marijuana during a search of the plane.
The Los Angeles Times (
http://lat.ms/GFAuHC) says Choppin was arraigned Wednesday and released on his own recognizance. It is not clear whether he entered a plea, and The Associated Press could not reach him for comment.
Pilots were told that during Obama’s Feb. 16 visit they were not to come within eight miles of Los Angeles International Airport.
The Secret Service says Obama was never in danger.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
