U.S. federal authorities have arrested a Nigerian man who allegedly flew from New York City to Los Angeles last week without a valid boarding pass.

Officials said the man was discovered on board Virgin America Flight 415 last week, carrying a stolen boarding pass and a university identification card, after a flight attendant noticed him sitting in a seat that was supposed to be vacant. It is not clear why he was not arrested at that time.

Federal officials say the man, who has been identified as Olajide Oluwaseun Noibi, was arrested Wednesday when he was spotted at the Los Angeles airport trying to board another flight with an expired boarding pass in someone else's name.

Officials said they searched his belongings and found about 10 other stolen boarding passes among his belongings.

Noibi has been charged with being a stowaway on the Virgin America flight. If convicted, the charge carries a prison term of up to five years.

Federal authorities say the man went through routine security screening checkpoints to board the flight to Los Angeles and in his attempt to board the other flight on Wednesday. The Transportation Security Administration said he went through the same physical screening procedures as all other passengers.