A 54-year-old Newport man has pleaded guilty in federal court to simple assault after investigators say he kissed, groped and inappropriately touched a 16-year-old girl who was flying alone on a Breeze Airways flight from Tampa to Rhode Island last November. James Brugman admitted to the inappropriate contact during the Nov. 17, 2025, flight, which landed at T.F. Green Airport, and he is now scheduled to be sentenced in January 2027.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Rhode Island, Brugman pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault for inappropriate conduct involving the 16-year-old during the Tampa-to-Providence flight. The case details how he admitted that he kissed the girl's hand, rubbed her leg and placed his hand on her inner thigh without her consent, as reported by WPRI.
Teen Flying Alone Says She Felt Scared Throughout Flight
The girl was traveling by herself when the contact occurred, and she later told investigators she felt scared and uncomfortable throughout the flight, the station's report states. A federal affidavit described the conduct as repeated unsolicited and unwanted physical contact, including Brugman rubbing her leg, kissing her hand and touching her upper thigh, according to Newport, RI Patch.
Investigators also accused Brugman of showing the teen a sexually explicit image on his iPhone depicting two people having sex, per the same account from WPRI. WJAR, which first reported Brugman's guilty plea, noted that federal officials announced the plea as part of a case built around the inappropriate touching of a minor on the flight into Rhode Island, according to WJAR.
Prosecutors Will Drop More Serious Charge, Push for Prison
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a more serious count of abusive sexual contact at sentencing, the same report notes. In exchange, they agreed to recommend a prison sentence for Brugman while specifically ruling out probation as an option.
The simple-assault charge to which Brugman pleaded guilty carries a maximum of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine, the outlet's report indicates. The case was prosecuted under the federal framework governing crimes committed aboard aircraft, which falls under 49 U.S.C. § 46506, a statute covering the application of certain criminal laws to acts on aircraft, according to the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives.
Sentencing Set for January 2027
Brugman is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 21, 2027, per the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney's Office. What sentence he will ultimately receive has not been determined, and the case remains pending as that date approaches.
