A Virgin America passenger has been criminally charged with sexually touching a sleeping female passenger on an overnight flight to Newark from Los Angeles last week, federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.
The passenger, aged 58 from India, was charged with one count of abusive sexual conduct aboard Flight 170 which departed on July 29, U.S. Attorney said.
According to the complaint, he was seated in an aisle seat when the victim, who was sleeping next to him in a middle seat, awoke to find his hands massaging her vagina and buttocks areas, and the defendant rubbing his bare feet against hers.
Virgin America spokesman Dave Arnold said in a statement that the crew had been alerted to “reports of a disruptive individual” accused of inappropriate touching, moved the person, and told law enforcement, who were waiting for Flight 170 when it arrived.
