Mohammad Jawad Ansari, aged 50, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha. He was also ordered to pay a $33,750 fine, $1,600 in restitution, a $100 special assessment, and an additional $5,000 special assessment. Additionally, Ansari has been ordered to register as a sex offender.
After a four-day trial, a jury found Ansari guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact on May 9.
On February 17, 2020, Ansari was on a flight from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. He occupied a window seat, and the victim was seated in the middle seat next to him. The victim, who was wearing a dress, fell asleep shortly after takeoff, and the armrest separating Ansari from the victim was down.
At some point during the flight, Ansari placed his left hand on the victim’s right knee and moved his hand to her inner thigh without her consent. The person sitting in the aisle seat next to the victim witnessed Ansari’s hand touching the victim’s inner thigh.
The victim woke up, pushed Ansari’s hand away, left her seat, and informed a flight attendant about the incident. The flight attendants observed Ansari during the remainder of the flight and believed he was pretending to sleep.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Airport Police investigated the matter.
Prosecutors argued that Ansari had committed a serious offense that caused immediate and long-lasting harm to the victim. In the immediate aftermath, the victim was shocked and afraid, and witnesses testified that she sobbed for the remainder of the flight. The victim now struggles to fall asleep on flights due to concerns about being touched by someone.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office has issued a public service announcement to raise awareness about the issue of sexual assault on airplanes. Victims of in-flight sexual misconduct, whether verbal or physical, and their loved ones are encouraged to report the incident to a flight attendant, the nearest FBI field office, or online through the FBI’s website.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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