Ohio man charged with felony after alleged threats to blow up the Helena airport

An Ohio man was charged Thursday with a felony for allegedly threatening to blow up the Helena Regional Airport after getting kicked off a plane for being too intoxicated to fly.

Kareem Mashhaad Laws, of Lima, Ohio, was charged Thursday in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court with one count of intimidation, a felony, punishable by a fine not to exceed $50,000 and a term of imprisonment not to exceed 10 years if he is convicted.

According to charging documents, Helena police officers responded to the airport Wednesday and located Laws near the front doors surrounded by airport staff.

One employee told officers that Laws had refused to leave after being told to do so many times. They told the responding officer Laws was able to board an airplane but was deemed too intoxicated to fly before takeoff and was removed from the plane.

The airport employee told Officer Nick Leshinski they were helping Laws coordinate his next steps when he said, "Y'all better hope this place doesn't blow up."

The employee said they just wanted Laws to leave until he sobered up but after the threats were made they did not want him back at the airport at all.

Another employee told officers Laws said, "I'm gonna blow up the airport and that's a threat." He also insinuated that he hoped the plane he was supposed to be on blew up.

Laws also allegedly called someone on his Apple watch and made additional comments about blowing up the airport while being transported to jail, according to his arrest affidavit.

All defendants are innocent until proven guilty.