Cuban man, who hid himself in SW Airline airplane in 2023, sentenced to year in jail, DA says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 27-year-old Cuban man convicted of interference with critical infrastructure from a Memorial Day flight last year has been sentenced to one year in the Harris County Jail, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Authorities found Jehffrey Gutirres, who is an undocumented immigrant, hiding on a Southwest Airlines jet on May 31, 2023. Ogg said that Gutirres had hid himself inside the wheel well landing gear of the jet.

"In this case, about 160 people had to be deboarded because this individual had hidden himself in the wheel well," Ogg commented Tuesday about the Memorial Day flight incident from two years ago.

Ogg added that the case happened on one of the busiest flying weekends after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ogg said on Tuesday that she was sent a picture showing Gutirres on the wheel well on the day of the incident by Bush Intercontinental Airport police, who had gotten it from a pilot for Southwest Airlines.

"He had successfully breached the airport's security perimeter fence and gotten into highly secure areas more than once," Ogg said about Gutirres trespassing into Bush Airport.

According to court records, Gutirres was being evaluated for mental illness.