Abdulrahman Oriyomi who got onto IAH flight without boarding pass thought he bought cheap ticket, not fake, his attorney says

HOUSTON — The man accused of going through a TSA checkpoint with a fake boarding pass and getting on a United Airlines plane at Houston’s Bush airport last month appeared before a judge on Monday.

The attorney for 25-year-old suspect Abdulrahman Oriyomi told 13 it was essentially a misunderstanding, saying his client thought he was getting a cheap airline ticket, not a fake one.

During Oriyomi’s court hearing Monday morning, the judge kept his bond at $15,000, and his attorney says he does plan to bond out.

On May 18, authorities say security footage shows the suspect getting through TSA at IAH.

A charging document states he eventually snuck onto a plane headed to LA, hid in the restroom as the plane was taxiing from the gate, and gave a flight attendant a fake name in an attempt to stay on board.

The flight was delayed for three hours, according to that document, which also claims Oriyomi caused a scene while being questioned by law enforcement.

Law enforcement said he was given a trespass warning on that day and allowed to leave, but was arrested last week following an additional investigation.

Oriyomi is charged with impairing or interrupting the operation of a critical infrastructure facility. As part of his bond conditions, the judge said that Oriyomi must wear an ankle monitor and stay in Harris County and the surrounding counties.

In a statement released by TSA, the agency says “the individual in question presented a valid boarding pass at George Bush Intercontinental Airport,” which contradicts what authorities have said.