PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Joseph Emerson, the off-duty pilot who tried to stop a plane mid-flight, was convicted Friday on 83 counts of reckless endangering another person in a Multnomah County Circuit Court as well as one felony charge of first-degree endangering an aircraft.

Emerson had previously pleaded not guilty for the incident, but then pleaded guilty in federal court and no contest in an Oregon court on Friday. He was sentenced to 50 days in jail, including credit for time served, and five years' probation.

He will also spend 664 hours in community service -- eight hours for each person on the plane with him.

The two change-of-plea hearings come as Emerson reportedly decided to take responsibility for his actions on the flight in October 2023, according to his attorney.

Emerson

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