Phoenix, AZ – Ma’Kiah Cherae Coleman, a 20-year-old resident of Glendale, has been sentenced to four months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for assaulting a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes last week. Coleman had previously pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer Inflicting Bodily Injury on April 23, 2024.
The assault occurred on April 25, 2023, when Coleman attacked a TSA agent at the airport. She grabbed the agent’s hair, slammed the agent’s head against a baggage screening table, and punched the agent multiple times. The attack was stopped by other TSA agents who restrained Coleman. The incident led to the temporary closure of a security checkpoint at Sky Harbor Airport as law enforcement responded.
In addition to the prison sentence, Coleman has been banned from flying on commercial aircraft during her three-year term of supervised release. TSA officers, who are federal employees under the Department of Homeland Security, play a critical role in screening passengers and ensuring the safety of the nation’s transportation systems.
The investigation was conducted by the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Phoenix Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona handled the prosecution.
For further information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.
