Woman Pleads No Contest to Being a Stowaway on Flight into LAX

UPDATED at 4:33 p.m.:A woman arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after taking a flight from Mineta San Jose International Airport without a ticket or boarding pass pleaded no contest today to a misdemeanor count of entering the city as a stowaway.

Marilyn Jean Hartman, 62, was immediately sentenced to three days in jail -- amounting to credit for time she has already served -- and two years probation, according to Frank Mateljan of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Hartman was also ordered to stay away from Los Angeles International Airport unless she is validly ticketed to fly, Mateljan said.

Hartman was arrested about 11 p.m. Monday by Los Angeles Airport Police and held on $500 bail.

Hartman flew to LAX on a Southwest Airlines flight.

“The individual was screened along with all other passengers to ensure that she was not a security threat to the aircraft,” said Nico Melendez of the Transportation Security Administration.

“Following an initial review by TSA at San Jose International Airport, the agency has initiated minor modifications to the layout of the document checking area to prevent another incident like this one,” Melendez said.

Hartman previously breached security at San Francisco International Airport on three occasions while trying to board flights to Hawaii, according to media reports.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo.