HOUSTON – Four residents of the Houston area are facing federal charges, accused of flying drones within the boundaries of the Temporary Flight Restriction zone established near the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
John Alexander Meza, 26, La Porte; Jordan Lee Zale, 38, Richmond; and Huu An Nguyen Dinh, 30, Pearland, are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett on July 7. Patrick Phillip Heer, 34, Katy, is scheduled for July 8.
#BREAKING Three individuals now face federal charges for allegedly flying drones in #FIFAWorldCup No Drone Zones:1) Huu An Nguyen Dinh – received a warning from police just days earlier2) John Alexander Meza3) Jordan Lee ZaleSince the start of @FWC26Houston, the FBI and our… pic.twitter.com/BURhuNzdlh
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) June 26, 2026
According to one complaint, on or about June 13, law enforcement observed Heer operating a drone in restricted airspace in the vicinity of Polk and Chartres Streets in Houston. The charges allege it was specifically within the boundaries of the Temporary Flight Restriction zone established near the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone just east of downtown Houston. Heer was operating the drone, according to the complaint…