A Washington man stands accused of sex abuse aboard an Alaska Airlines flight, the U.S. Attorney's Office reports. Desmond D. Bostick, 25, from Federal Way, has been indicted for allegedly engaging in abusive sexual contact on a flight bound from San Diego to Seattle, revealed U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Nabbed by the authorities on February 9, Bostick was indicted last September, with details kept under wraps until his arrest.
Details emerged that Bostick occupied an aisle seat on the plane's last row during the incident. With a blanket as cover, he's accused of touching the victim's thigh and seizing her buttocks when allowing another passenger to exit their row. The victim, to whom Bostick was a stranger, promptly reported the disturbing episode to the crew after landing, igniting the investigation that would ultimately corner Bostick well after his hurried departure from the airport. The Justice Department issued a statement revealing these events.
The alarming uptick in in-flight sexual misconduct has the U.S. Attorney's Office waving red flags, reporting a surge in such incidents in June 2023. Since sounding the alarm, three other cases have either been filed or come to a close.
The apprehension of Bostick arrives amidst this heightened vigilance. The FBI teamed up with the Port of Seattle Police in hunting down the accused, following a rigorous investigation after Bostick had artfully made himself scarce post-flight. "This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean H. Waite," detailed the Attorney's Office in their official account of the proceedings.
