BOSTON — A Massachusetts man who attempted to open an emergency exit mid-flight and attacked a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon has been sentenced to time served by a federal judge.

Francisco Severo Torres, 35, of Leominster, was sentenced Tuesday to approximately 26 months in prison — the amount he has already served — followed by five years of supervised release. He is also barred from flying on commercial aircraft during that time.

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris, who was appointed to the bench by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Despite the severity of the charges, Saris declined to impose additional prison time.

The incident occurred on March 5, 2023, aboard United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston. According to court documents, roughly 45 minutes before landing, the cockpit received an alarm indicating that a starboard-side emergency exit door had been disarmed. A flight attendant discovered the locking handle partially moved from its secured position and the emergency slide in the “disarmed” position.

Torres was identified as the person near the door shortly before the alarm. When questioned, he allegedly asked whether there were cameras showing him tampering with the door. Moments later, he approached the area again, shouted statements including “I’m taking over this plane,” and attacked a flight attendant using a metal spoon he had broken into a makeshift weapon. The spoon struck the flight attendant in the neck area three times.

Passengers and crew tackled and restrained Torres until the plane landed safely at Logan International Airport, where he was taken into custody by federal authorities.

Torres was charged the same day and later indicted by a federal grand jury. He pleaded guilty in May 2025 to interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon — a felony under federal law.

According to the Department of Justice, Torres had displayed unusual behavior before takeoff, including asking another passenger about emergency door mechanisms shown on the safety card and pacing in the galley shortly before the assault.

Despite the nature of the attack and the potential threat to the aircraft, the case concluded without additional prison time — a decision that raised questions about how seriously the federal judiciary treats mid-air violence.