CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A California man is facing prison time after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl sitting beside him on a flight from Charlotte last year.
Ryan Coffey was indicted on March 15 for sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact for his actions on a flight from Charlotte to San Diego on Jan. 7, 2023. Coffey, who was 31 at the time, admitted that he gave the teen rum and touched her inner thighs and breasts. The victim didn’t know Coffey, prosecutors said.
“Thanks to the courage of a brave girl who reported what happened in the dark on a plane, and swift engagement from law enforcement, this defendant was brought to justice,” U.S. attorney Tara McGrath said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the public in the air, on the ground or at sea.”
Coffey faces a maximum of two years in prison.
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