The Ruskin mailman who flew a gyrocopter over Washington D.C. pleaded not guilty in federal court on Thursday to six charges against him.
He faces two felonies and four misdemeanors for landing his gyrocopter on the lawn of the Capitol.
The 61-year-old faces up to 9.5 years in prison.
After his court appearance, Hughes said even if he loses his freedom, it was worth it to bring attention to the influence of big money in politics.
“I landed on the back lawn of Congress with letters to every member of Congress as the next step in the process of bringing our government back to virtue," Hughes said. "As long as I'm free I'm going to be introducing voters to groups with solutions to the problem of corruption that the vast majority of voters recognize and oppose.”
The daring flight through some of the most restricted airspace in the country sparked heated hearings on Capitol Hill by lawmakers seething about security.
Hughes said he knew he could have been shot down and he cautioned about gyrocopter copycats.
“Nobody else can do what I did and get away with it, without at best being forced down, at worst being shot down and I highly recommend nobody try it," he said.
A federal judge agreed to let Hughes off of house arrest. He does have to continue to wear his ankle monitor and is not allowed to leave Hillsborough County.
Hughes’s next court date is May 27.