A 35-year-old Australian has entered a plea of not guilty to a federal charge after being accused of aggressively confronting a Transportation Security Administration officer at Los Angeles International Airport.
Thomas Jesse Bingham, hailing from Melbourne, appeared in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday, where he faced an accusation of assaulting a federal officer, resulting in bodily harm.
Upon conviction, Bingham could face a prison sentence of up to eight years, with a trial date tentatively set for May 12.
The incident occurred on March 15, as Bingham was preparing to travel to Las Vegas. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that he suspected a TSA officer had taken his backpack and passport.
Authorities stated that Bingham confronted the uniformed officer in a restroom and continued to follow him outside, where the situation escalated.
Prosecutors claim that Bingham grabbed the officer’s uniform, tore off his identification lanyard, pulled his hair, and pushed him into a glass wall during the altercation.
The officer later experienced pain in his hand and back and sought medical attention.
Initially, airport police arrested Bingham, and officials found his missing carry-on bag and passport at a restaurant in Terminal 7 that he had visited earlier.
Although he was released from custody, Bingham was apprehended once more at LAX before he could board a flight to the United Kingdom.
