Ravens Fan Charged With Air Space Violation During AFC Championship Game

A Ravens fan who flew a mini-drone over the AFC Championship Game has been charged with violating federal aviation laws.

The Baltimore Ravens were charged with several costly penalties during their AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. One more awaited a fan of the purple and black in Pennsylvania, and he's being charged with a lot more than just 15 yards.

Matthew Herbert, a 44-year-old native of Chads Ford, is facing federal charges for operating a small drone flown over M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 28, which yielded a brief pause in the semifinal showdown during first half action. The interruption occurred on what became Baltimore's first scoring drive of the day and was referred to as "an administrative timeout" by CBS play-by-play man Jim Nantz.

Tommy Gilligan, USA TODAY SPORTS

According to a report from Paul Duggan of the Washington Post, Maryland State Police tracked the drone's landing site to a neighborhood about a half-mile away from the stadium. Officers found Herbert, clad in a Ravens jersey, claiming to be unfamiliar with Federal Aviation Administration regulations. Such violations could land Herbert up to four years in prison, per Matthew Loh of Business Insider.

Per the Washington Post, Herbert launched the drone shortly after kickoff after 3 p.m. ET and flew to an altitude of over 300 feet to take pictures of the stadium. The FAA regulations for the Ravens-Chiefs tilt labeled M&T Bank Stadium restricted airspace for an hour before and after the game.

"Illegally operating drones pose a significant security risk that will lead to federal charges," said United States Attorney Erek Barron in a report from Adam Thompson of WJZ-TV. "Temporary flight restrictions are always in place during large sporting events."

Curiously enough, the AFC title game wasn't the first time a Ravens game had to deal with more than just opposing quarterbacks, as another drone briefly paused the Cincinnati Bengals' Thursday night visit in November.

Chiefs Show Ravens How Far They Have to Climb

But for the Ravens, Herbert's interruption wasn't the only costly aerial error from the Chiefs' postseason visit. A costly Lamar Jackson interception midway through the fourth quarter sealed Baltimore's fate in a 17-10 defeat, denying Charm City its first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade.