Investigations

On January 10, 2022, Tracy Mapes pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for violating national defense airspace regulations. Mapes modified an unmanned aircraft, or drone, by adding a compartment underneath large enough to hold dozens of leaflets. On November 26, 2017, Mapes flew the drone over two National Football League games held at Levi’s Stadium and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, dropping leaflets on tens of thousands of spectators below.

 

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Santa Clara Police Department.