An air marshal did some very unheroic. A federal air marshal was arrested on Thursday after he was accused of using his cell phone to take pictures from underneath the dresses and skirts of female passengers as they boarded a flight to a Nashville airport.
Adam Bartsch, 28, is a married air marshal from Maryland who was on duty on Southwest Airlines Flight 3132 when a passenger caught him sneaking pictures up women's skirts.
"His left hand was holding his phone, and it was in the aisle," witness Rey Collaz told CBS. "In my mind, I said, 'I know he's not taking pictures of the girls as they goin' by.' Next thing I know, a lady walked by, the phone went to the aisle and he - click, click, click, click."
The witness, Rey Collazo, confronted Bartsch and the air marshal started to delete the dozen photos that he took. Collazo courageously reached for the man's phone.
"[I] struggled with him a little bit and I got the better part of the phone and twisted and hit him with my right hand between the neck and the shoulder," Collazo told WKRN.
"I looked at the guy and said, 'Excuse me, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You're a disgrace to a human being. To a man. That's wrong'."
Collazo told a flight attendant about what happened and Bartsch was taken off the flight. He was charged with disorderly conduct. Bartsch was on duty at the time. The flight was heading to Tampa, Florida. He admitted to police that he took 10 to 12 photos. His bail was set at $10,000 and he was released.
The Transportation Security Administration is helping with the investigation of the incident and says they are taking it very seriously.
"TSA does not tolerate criminal behavior," it said according to the Daily Mail. "The agency immediately removed this individual from his current duties and is in the process of suspending or terminating his employment."
Bartsch is set to appear in court on November 14.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
