Two men who were accused of sexually assaulting airplane passengers on flights to Seattle have been sentenced. Abhinav Kumar from India was given a 15-month prison sentence after being convicted of abusive sexual contact following a trial in May. He was arrested in February at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for allegedly groping a juvenile on a flight from Dubai. Desmond Bostick, from Federal Way, Washington, received a nine-month prison sentence for assault with intent to commit a felony after touching a woman inappropriately on a flight from San Diego in June 2023.
Prosecutors stated that Bostick repeatedly touched the woman’s thigh during the flight and also grabbed her buttocks twice when she stood up. The woman reported the incident to the flight crew upon landing, leading to Bostick’s arrest. He admitted to the crime with sexual motivation as part of a plea agreement, and will additionally serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual assault on aircraft in the Western District of Washington, stating that cases like these demonstrate the serious consequences of such predatory behavior.
