A New Jersey man will spend the next two years behind bars following a mid-air sexual assault on a cross-country flight. United States Attorney David Metcalf announced today that 41-year-old Vernon Baker was sentenced to 25 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody.
The incident occurred on October 30, 2024, during a commercial flight traveling from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. According to court records, Baker began making unwanted sexual advances toward the woman seated directly next to him. When she rejected his overtures, the situation turned violent.
Federal prosecutors detailed a harrowing sequence of events in which Baker exposed himself and attempted to force the victim to touch him.
He then escalated the physical contact by grabbing the woman’s breast over her clothing and attempting to untie her pants. Following the assault, the victim fled to the rear of the aircraft cabin to alert flight attendants.
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Baker was originally indicted in January of last year on one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft. He entered a guilty plea this past December.
In addition to his 25-month prison term, Judge Brody ordered Baker to complete one year of supervised release following his incarceration.
The investigation into the assault involved a coordinated effort between the FBI, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The legal proceedings were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Davison and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meagan Gordon.
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