California man pleads guilty to assaulting female passengers on flight to Boston – New Bedford Guide

“A California man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to assaulting two women aboard a redeye flight from Los Angeles to Boston.

Jairaj Singh Dhillon, 43, of Modesto, Cal., pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023 to two counts of assault while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2023. Dhillon was charged in June 2022.

During an overnight flight from Los Angeles to Boston on May 31, 2022, Dhillon engaged in unwanted sexual contact with two female passengers sitting next to him. The first victim reported that Dhillon, seated in the aisle seat next to her, touched her thigh and groin area while she was taking care of her infant child who was in a car seat in the window seat next to her. The first victim called for help and stated out loud, “this man just groped me.” The second victim, who was seated in the aisle seat opposite Dhillon, reported that Dhillon reached out with both hands and simultaneously grabbed her groin and buttocks when she was standing in the aisle. Flight crew intervened and moved Dhillon to another part of the plane for the duration of the flight. Dhillon was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival in Boston.

The charge of assault while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to six months in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.”-Massachusetts Department Of Justice.