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Federal air marshal arrested, accused of taking pictures up women's skirts

Adam Joseph Bartsch was removed from duty as a federal air marshal Thursday after he was taken off a Southwest Airlines flight at the Nashville airport.
Adam Joseph Bartsch was removed from duty as a federal air marshal Thursday after he was taken off a Southwest Airlines flight at the Nashville airport.Nashville/Davidson County Police Department

A U.S. air marshal was arrested Thursday and charged with using a cellphone to take photographs up women's skirts at the Nashville, Tenn., airport, police said.

The Transportation Security Administration said Adam Joseph Bartsch, 28, of Rockville, Md., had been removed from active duty and was "in the process" of being suspended or fired.

Bartsch was on duty when he was arrested after boarding Southwest Flight 3132 from Nashville to Tampa, Fla. A fellow passenger who allegedly saw Bartsch taking the pictures notified a flight attendant.

The flight was delayed for about an hour as Bartsch was removed from the plane and turned over to airport police, NBC station WSMV of Nashville reported.

"We removed a passenger from Flight No. 3132 from Nashville to Tampa prior to departure due to a Customer concern that was brought to our attention," Southwest said in a statement. "We turned the matter over to local law enforcement, and the passenger did not travel as scheduled."

Bartsch was charged with disorderly conduct and released on bond pending a hearing Nov. 14 in Nashville General Sessions Court. Court records didn't list an attorney.

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