HOUSTON — A Houston man faces a federal charge after allegedly flying a drone in restricted airspace near the FIFA World Cup fan festival in East Downtown on the tournament’s opening day, according to court records.
John Alexander Meza allegedly flew a DJI Mavic 3 drone for about two minutes near the 600 block of Live Oak Street on June 11, the first day of the 2026 World Cup. No World Cup matches took place in Houston that day.
According to court records obtained by Houston Public Media, Meza told law enforcement that he was operating the drone to capture video for Houston’s First Baptist Church. His LinkedIn profile identifies him as a cinematographer for the church.
The Federal Aviation Administration had designated East Downtown as a “no drone zone” throughout the World Cup. The restriction prohibited drone flights within a one-mile radius of the fan festival and at altitudes of up to 1,000 feet.
When officers located Meza, he allegedly acknowledged that he had piloted the drone. Court records state that he also told authorities he did not have a remote pilot certificate and had not checked airspace restrictions before operating the drone.
Meza faces a federal charge of violating national defense airspace. The offense carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Attorneys for Meza and representatives of Houston’s First Baptist Church did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meza is among as many as 16 people facing federal charges related to drone flights in restricted airspace during the World Cup, according to authorities.
The FBI’s Houston field office previously said it had seized 44 drones and filed 16 federal charges related to drone violations during the tournament. The office later said the number of people facing charges was not final and referred questions about additional cases to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Two other defendants publicly identified by the FBI were Huu An Nguyen Dinh of Pearland and Jordan Lee Zale of Richmond. Court records indicate both told authorities they were flying drones to capture real estate images.
Dinh’s attorney declined to comment, while Zale’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson said 21 complaints had been filed in federal court records but declined to speculate about additional or future charges.
Federal authorities also reported other World Cup-related enforcement activity in Houston.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit FIFA World Cup items at George Bush Intercontinental Airport during the tournament. The agency estimated the fake merchandise had a total value of $9 million.
The seized items included jerseys, shorts, shot glasses, handheld fans, soccer balls and whiskey decanters. The counterfeit jerseys resembled those of the United States, Mexico, Portugal, France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Argentina and Ecuador.