(NewsNation) — Two men were arrested Saturday evening for flying a drone near Logan International Airport, Boston police said amid reports of mysterious drone sightings across the northeast U.S.
Robert Duffy, 42, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, were charged with trespassing, and the police said in a statement that more fines or charges could come pending further investigation.
A Boston police officer detected an “unmanned aircraft system,” operating “dangerously close” to the airport in Long Island.
The Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit was dispatched to the island and found three people inside the decommissioned Long Island Health Campus.
Once police made contact, the three started running. Duffy and Folcik were arrested while police are still searching for the third suspect. A drone was found inside a backpack Duffy was carrying.
The Boston Police Department said, “Operators are prohibited from flying drones over people or vehicles and must be aware of airspace restrictions. Even small drones pose significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. Near-collisions can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk.”
The arrests come after mysterious drones spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region have prompted concern from local residents, anger from lawmakers and endless speculation on social media.
The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. The worry stems partly from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
Duffy and Folcik are scheduled to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court, police said.