New York Man Charged After Airplane Antics Sunday

(KNSI) – The New York man accused of acting so erratically that the cross-country flight he was on was forced to land at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport has now been charged in the U.S. District Court.

According to the criminal complaint, 42-year-old Mark Scerbo was on a Jet Blue flight from New York’s JFK Airport to San Francisco on May 16th when he threw his food on the floor during meal service and started pacing the airplane aisle with a butter knife. The complaint says he was holding the knife “in a closed fist with the blade up.” While cleaning up, the flight attendant says she found a bag of a white, powdery substance at Scerbo’s seat. Another flight attendant told police Scerbo was singing, doing “yoga-like movements in people’s faces,” and acting aggressively.

The woman seated next to Scerbo said he was agitated before the flight even left the ground. She told police he was a prophet named Genghis Kahn and accused her of being in the CIA. He talked to her about nanobots, angels, and a “peace army.” She says she asked him if he was on drugs, and he said, “of course not. Look at me in the third eye.” She said he had a bag containing a white powdery substance which she saw him dip his finger into and snort the substance. She said the substance was on his mustache, face, and pants. After Scerbo allegedly told her, “I love you,” she said she felt unsafe and asked to be moved. She says he found her while he was pacing around and patted her on the head.

Another passenger who refused to engage with Scerbo said he threw playing cars at him and called him a derogatory name for a gay person. He said his juvenile daughter also heard and saw what Scerbo did.

Several passengers said Scerbo’s behavior made them feel uncomfortable, and the plane was diverted to MSP.

Police met the plane at the gate, and Scerbo was detained, and the bag of the white, powdery substance was handed over to police. The bag was field tested by officers who said it came back positive for cocaine. Investigators say without packaging; the substance weighed around 24.5 grams. Scerbo told police in a Mirandized statement the substance was creatine. He also denied disrupting the flight and brandishing the knife and said he told the woman next to him he was Toshi Nakamoto, the inventor of cryptocurrency.

Officers said creatine and cocaine are visually similar, but creatine is often taken orally and not snorted. Scerbo’s criminal history includes a previous federal conviction with intent to distribute a controlled substance and another for introducing drugs into prison.

Scerbo has been charged with one count of drug possession.

___