A 70-year-old man from Andrews, North Carolina has been sentenced to 6 months in custody and 12 months of supervised release following prison for an assault on board an aircraft flying from Atlanta to Seattle.
According to a court statement, Jack Allen Roberson was seated next to a 15-year-old girl who was traveling with her guardian on a flight in July 2023. While Roberson appeared to be sleeping, he slipped his hand onto the victim’s thigh and ran his hand up under her skirt and towards her genitals.
The victim reported the unwanted touching to her guardian, who contacted the flight attendant. Roberson was moved to a different seat and law enforcement was contacted. He was arrested and taken to the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac on the day of the flight.
Roberson pleaded guilty to simple assault in March 2024. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Lauren King noted that the offense was egregious as passengers are captive when seated next to someone on a plane, and children are especially vulnerable in these circumstances.
Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi wrote to the court that airline assaults are a plague on modern society and that the victim showed bravery in coming forward and participating in the criminal justice process.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Port of Seattle Police and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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