On May 27, a seemingly unremarkable plane journey descended into a disturbing ordeal when Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, a 33-year-old internal medicine and primary care doctor from Boston, allegedly exposed himself to a 14-year-old girl seated next to him on a Hawaiian Airlines flight, according to the U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts.
On September 13, Dr. Mohanty was been indicted on one count of lewd, indecent, and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Having been arrested on August 10, he was subsequently released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, midway through the flight, Dr. Mohanty covered himself with a blanket up to his neck, with his leg bouncing up and down. It is then alleged that, upon the blanket falling to the floor, the teenage girl discovered the doctor engaging in an act of explicit self-gratification. The young girl swiftly moved to another row, where she remained for the rest of the flight.
Upon arriving in Boston, the girl informed her family, who in turn notified law enforcement of this unsettling encounter.
The sentence carries the potential for up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge, who considers the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other related statutes when making decisions in criminal cases.
