A 69-year-old man from Andrews, North Carolina has been arrested and is currently in federal custody after being charged with groping a 15-year-old girl on a Delta jet.
Court documents said that Jack Allen Roberson was seated next to a 15-year-old victim traveling with her guardian. While pretending to sleep, Roberson allegedly slipped his hand onto the victim's thigh, moving it under her skirt toward her genitals. The victim promptly reported the incident to her guardian, who alerted the flight attendant. Roberson was then reseated, and law enforcement was notified, arresting Roberson upon arrival.
From Yahoo News:
Shortly after the plane took off, the 15-year-old picked up Roberson's headphones after he dropped them, according to the complaint.
In response, he said "thank you, I don't know what I would do without you," the complaint says.
Sometime afterward, the teenager felt him touch her thigh, which she thought was accidental because he appeared to be asleep, according to the complaint.
Then, he "slowly moved his hands up her thigh, and under her skirt," the complaint says.
The teenager then alerted her aunt, who switched seats with her before notifying the flight crew about Roberson touching her niece — resulting in him getting a new seat, according to the complaint.
In an interview with federal investigators after the flight landed, Roberson said he had eight alcoholic beverages prior to boarding the flight to Seattle and drank two double vodka tonics on the flight, according to a complaint filed in federal court.
Abusive sexual contact on an aircraft can result in up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
