Feds charge man with illegally flying drone near Dallas Stadium before FIFA World Cup match

The U.S. Attorney's office in Dallas announced Thursday the first arrest of a suspect for illegally flying a drone near Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup.

Honduran national Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, is in federal custody after he was arrested on Sunday, June 14. 

According to a federal complaint, a drone was flying in restricted airspace around the stadium just after 2:30 p.m., minutes before the match between Japan and The Netherlands was set to kick off. An FBI agent conducting drone countersurveillance was able to track down and speak with Flores, who admitted that he owned the drone and was flying it.

The drone was not registered with the FAA, according to the complaint, and Flores did not receive the necessary approvals to fly it. 

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you operate a drone over restricted airspace - including over Dallas Stadium or Fan Fest - you can expect a federal indictment to come your way like this defendant," U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in a statement. "The World Cup has been a blessing for North Texas and it's imperative that we remain vigilant in protecting the fans and our great citizens of North Texas from potentially dangerous drones."  

Officially, Flores was charged with Owning an Unregistered Aircraft that was Operated, Attempted to be Operated, or Allowed to be Operated by Another Person. If convicted, he faces up to three years in federal prison.

More than 20 drones have been seized during the two FIFA World Cup matches in Arlington, the FBI said. 

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation would like to once again state that there is a 'no-fly zone' around the Dallas Stadium for three hours prior to each match and three hours after each match," the statement said.