Doug Hughes was arrested by Capitol Police on April 15 immediately after landing on the lawn of a United States Capitol Building. The bizarre incident, which Hughes had been planning for some time, gained widespread media attention, as images of the small helicopter went viral on social media.
A grand jury has indicted Hughes on a total of six charges, including two felonies: one for operating as an airman without an airman’s certificate and the second for violating registration requirements involving the aircraft, according to the Department of Justice. The other charges are four misdemeanor counts, including three counts of violation of national defense airspace, and one of operating a vehicle falsely labeled as a postal carrier.
Hughes has stated that the intent behind his bizarre mission in April was to draw media and public attention to the issue of campaign finance reform.
