A Texas man has been charged with abusive sexual contact after allegedly engaging in lewd behavior aboard an American Airlines flight from Boston to Washington, D.C.
According to a probable cause affidavit, 56-year-old aerospace executive Darrell Ray Seale is accused of openly masturbating and repeatedly groping the passenger seated next to him, despite being told to stop. The incident reportedly left the victim shocked and uncomfortable.
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Seale later denied the allegations, telling authorities he had only been “stretching his arms.” He was arrested on June 8 and released Tuesday on a personal recognizance bond. His court-appointed attorney, Todd Richman, declined to comment on the case when contacted.
The FBI, which holds jurisdiction over crimes committed during flights, has been actively investigating such incidents. In 2024 alone, the agency looked into 104 reports of sexual assault on airplanes. However, officials caution that the real number may be higher, as many cases go unreported.
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