Branding of ‘terrorist’
shocks air passenger

Randy Joseph Rustick was shaken to hear his name peppered over TV newscasts after security officers found a razor blade inside one of his shoes at Honolulu Airport.

Randy Joseph Rustick: The U.S. Attorney's Office drops the charges against the Virginia man

He said yesterday that he and his family were supposed to board a plane to visit his mother on Kauai a few days before Christmas.

"The next thing I know, I was sitting in the FDC (federal detention center) in jail watching the TSA person congratulate themselves for putting a terrorist in jail. And I realized that was me," said Rustick, 33, during a news conference at attorney Howard Luke's office in Honolulu yesterday. "The next thing I know, I was in solitary confinement in a dark cell."

At the news conference, Rustick spoke to the media about the scariest night of his life and thanked those who supported him and his family. He also thanked the FBI for their thorough investigation.

On Dec. 22, Rustick was charged with attempting to board an airplane with a dangerous, concealed weapon after airport security found a razor blade in his left dress shoe. Charges were dropped Monday by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"The U.S. Attorney's Office, after talking to investigating agents of TSA and the FBI, made the decision that we would not prosecute this case any further at this time," said U.S. Attorney Edward Kubo. "In the event of new information, we will look at this case again." Kubo declined to discuss the details of the dismissal.

Luke said the case has been dismissed without prejudice, which allows the government to refile the charges against Rustick. However, he said he does not foresee that happening.

Rustick and his attorneys criticized the Transportation Security Administration for releasing Rustick's name to the media before the FBI conducted its investigation.

Sidney Hayakawa, director of the TSA, did not comment and referred media calls to Kubo.

Rustick, who is originally from Hawaii and now lives in Fairfax, Va., coaches T-ball and is a PTA member. He and his wife, Mary, have four children between ages 6 and 15. He works with a computer-related services company and deals with the Pentagon and Defense Department.

Rustick said he has no idea how the blade got in his shoe. Mary Rustick said she purchased the pair of black dress shoes for her husband two years ago as a Christmas present. Within the past year, Mary had taken the shoes to be resoled at a shoe repair shop. Luke declined to disclose the name of the shop.

After he was released from the detention center on a signature bond, Rustick flew to Kauai to spend time with his family. On Dec. 30, Rustick headed back to Honolulu to meet with his attorneys. He said he wore a pair of slippers when he arrived at Lihue Airport, where security checked the soles of his feet.