A Depew man has been charged with forcibly entering a restricted area of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport by crashing his truck through a closed security gate, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
Accused crashed gate, drove onto airfield and runway
James R. Muench Jr., 45, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with unauthorized entry into an aircraft area—a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
The incident occurred on May 20, 2025, when Muench, driving a pickup truck, allegedly rammed and bent Gate 1, a secure perimeter gate at the Buffalo airport. After breaching the gate, he drove through several high-security areas including:
- The airfield
- Aircraft taxiways
- The passenger ramp where planes dock
- The runway, where aircraft take off and land
Authorities say Muench bypassed all standard airport security protocols and posed a serious risk to commercial flight operations.
Suspect taken into custody at the scene
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Police, led by Chief Brian Patterson, responded quickly and located Muench, who was taken into custody without incident. No injuries or damage to aircraft were reported.
Muench made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions pending further legal proceedings.
Case under joint investigation
The ongoing investigation is being led by the NFTA Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm…