U.S. Capitol Lawn-Landing Pilot Enters Guilty Plea

The former U.S. postman who made a special delivery to Congress on April 15 by landing a gyrocopter on the lawn of the Capitol has entered a guilty plea in federal court.

Douglas Hughes’ plea was entered on Friday on a charge of operating a gyrocopter without a license, several media outlets are reporting. The plea is part of a deal that dramatically reduces the sentence the Riverview man now faces. Prosecutors have said they won’t ask for more than 10 months’ prison time. Hughes’ attorney is asking for probation.

Hughes’ Tax Day special delivery resulted in a temporary lockdown of the Capitol Visitor Center and the Florida man’s arrest.

See Also:

• Gyrocopter Pilot Who Landed On U.S. Capitol Lawn Indicted on 6 Charges
• Peaceful Protest Prompted U.S. Capitol Lawn Gyrocopter Landing, Pilot Says
• Capitol-Landing Pilot Was Just Doing His Job, Attorney Says
• Washington Goes on Brief Alert as Rogue Pilot Lands on Capitol Lawn

Hughes had been on a crusade to draw attention to the need for America to reform its campaign finance rules for some time. His website,thedemocracyclub.org, detailed his plans to personally deliver letters to all members of Congress to raise awareness about campaign finance corruption. Those letters were in Hughes’ possession at the time of his landing.

Hughes’ wife, Alena, retained attorney Paul Carr following the incident. Carr insisted in April, Hughes was simply doing his job as a postman delivering mail.

On his website, Hughes announced plans for the flight long before it happened and made it clear his intentions were peaceful.

“Let me say first – this is a non-violent demonstration,” Hughes wrote. “I have no intention of hurting anyone – I have taken every precaution to prevent any injury to anyone, including me.”

Sentencing in the case is set April 13, 2016, just two days shy of tax day.

Image via Shutterstock