Decatur Man Pleads Guilty to Flying Drone Over Truist Park During MLB All-Star Game

ATLANTA, GA – Mitchell Parsons Hughes, 47, of Decatur, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to violating federal law by flying a drone over Truist Park during the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in July 2025. Hughes was sentenced to six months’ probation and fined $500 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell Vineyard on December 5, 2025.

Federal authorities said Hughes flew his drone within the stadium’s temporary flight restriction (TFR), a designated No Drone Zone, despite being warned via his drone’s control panel. The FAA had imposed the TFR to ensure safety during the event, which prohibited drones from operating within a one-nautical-mile radius of Truist Park one hour before and one hour after the game.

Investigators noted that Hughes’ drone was not registered, and he did not have the required remote pilot certificate or training to operate an unmanned aircraft system.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg emphasized that flight restrictions protect public safety and that violations will be prosecuted. “Anyone attempting to fly a drone in a prohibited manner can expect to be prosecuted,” Hertzberg said.

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown and Joseph Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region, highlighted the risks posed by unsafe drone operations, particularly over crowded events.

The investigation involved the FBI, DOT-OIG, FAA, and the Cobb County Police Department. Authorities stressed that this case demonstrates a zero-tolerance approach to illegal drone activity in restricted airspace.