Photo for representational purpose.
An Indian man has been criminally charged with sexually touching a sleeping woman passenger on an overnight flight to Newark, New Jersey from Los Angeles last week, federal prosecutors said today.
Veerabhadrarao Kunam, 58, of Visakhapatnam was charged with one count of abusive sexual conduct aboard Flight 170 which departed on July 29, US Attorney Paul Fishman in New Jersey said.
Fishman said the defendant was arrested on July 30 when his flight arrived, and was released on $50,000 bond following a Monday court appearance in Newark federal court.
Alexander Spiro, a lawyer at Brafman & Associates representing Kunam, declined to comment.
Virgin America spokesman Dave Arnold said in a statement that the crew had been alerted to "reports of a disruptive individual" accused of inappropriate touching, moved the person, and told law enforcement, who were waiting for Flight 170 when it arrived.
© Thomson Reuters 2016