An Indian-origin man was accused of sexually assaulting a fellow passenger while flying on a domestic flight in the US, officials said.
The man has been identified as 36-year-old Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla.
The US Justice Department said in a statement: “The defendant, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 36, of Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, was charged in a one-count indictment with abusive sexual contact in special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.”
If convicted, Shukla faces two years of imprisonment, a USD 250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Shukla is scheduled to appear on April 17, 2025, for an arraignment.
The indictment alleges that on January 26, 2025, on board an American Airlines flight from Bozeman to Dallas, Shukla engaged in sexual contact with another person without that other person’s permission.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
The FBI, ICE and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
