US: 2 passengers charged with sexual assault aboard aircraft as FBI cracks down

Federal prosecutors here announced on Thursday that they had charged two men with sexual assault aboard airplanes, violations that have become an increasingly recognized problem for passengers, the airline industry and flight crews, who are often the first to receive reports of assaults in the air. The authorities announced federal charges against the two men, taking action after an FBI campaign in recent months to encourage victims and witnesses of sexual assault aboard airplanes to come forward, during flights or once on the ground. Abusive sexual contact in commercial airspace, the federal statute applied in the investigation, can carry up to two years in prison. “We need the flying public’s help, and the sooner you report, the better,” said Annette L. Hayes, the United States attorney in Seattle. Over the last four years, the number of cases of sexual assault on aircraft being investigated by the FBI has grown by about 30% as the public conversation about the problem has widened. The authorities anticipate that even more reports will emerge as pressure mounts for the airline industry to address assaults, and as cases like the ones announced on Thursday draw attention.<br/>