Reports of sexual assault on flights to Sea-Tac are increasing, and the FBI is asking for your help

SEATTLE – Federal authorities are asking the public for help in combating a disturbing trend: sexual assault on airplanes.

“If something seems unusual, as we always say, say something when you see something and do something,” said Richard Collodi, special agent in charge of the FBI in Seattle.

A 70-year-old North Carolina man was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to groping a 15-year-old girl on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Seattle. The man, 70-year-old Jack Roberson, was sentenced to six months in a federal prison and 12 months of probation. Federal officials in Seattle hope his case serves as a warning to others.

“We hope people realize that this is a risky decision,” Collodi said. “If you take action on an airplane or assault someone or touch them inappropriately, you will be held accountable.”

According to court documents, Roberson pretended to sleep while sitting next to a 15-year-old girl. According to the records, he then placed his hand on the girl’s thigh and slid it up and under her skirt.

What happened next was an act of bravery, according to US Attorney Tessa Gorman.

“A lot of times we see victims freeze and become afraid,” Gorman said. “They don’t know what to do, they have nowhere to go. They’re trapped, they’re right next to the person who just sexually abused them.”

Federal prosecutors said the girl was shocked and frightened by the touching, but then bravely told her guardian, who then called the flight attendant.

“These people show so much courage and bravery,” Gorman said.

Flight crew moved Roberson to another seat and alerted authorities. He was met in handcuffs upon arrival at SEA airport.

According to the FBI, more and more people are reporting sexual assaults on airplanes in recent years. Between 2019 and 2023, the FBI reported that such cases increased by 60%.

“There is a danger for people on airplanes,” said Collodi. “We want passengers to be careful, not only for themselves but also for their fellow travelers.”

Since the beginning of the year, law enforcement at SEA Airport has responded to nine cases of inappropriate touching on an airplane. To put that number in context, the FBI investigated 96 cases nationwide in all of last year.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a disturbing increase in these really horrific attacks,” Gorman said.

Too many of the victims, Gorman said, are minors. “Many of these crimes involve children between the ages of 14 and 16. So they are young people,” Gorman said.

Many travelers are expected to take to the skies ahead of the summer travel rush, and data research firm Morning Consult reported last year that Gen Z travelers are traveling as often as Millennials and more often than Gen Xers or Baby Boomers.

Federal authorities want you to be their eyes and ears. They encourage you to contact flight attendants if something seems wrong, because they are trained to handle such reports.

“Bystanders can really help the victims and survivors of this crime,” Gorman said.

When asked why the number of aircraft attacks is increasing, federal officials told KING 5 they hope it is because more people are reporting these attacks these days.

“It’s probably a crime that has been shockingly underreported for years because airlines and airplanes are particularly good places for perpetrators of this type of crime,” Gorman said.

However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Yemini said it could also be due to high travel volumes at SEA Airport, a major hub for global travel.

Yemini said, “The traffic through Seattle brings a lot of people here from all over the country and all over the world. It’s all about the numbers.” She works as an office coordinator for sexual assault complaints.

“For most of these crimes, which are usually abuse – abusive sexual contact, inappropriate sexual touching during a flight – the maximum sentence is two years and it is a serious felony charge,” Yemini said.

So what should passengers pay attention to?

“The perpetrators start by slowly testing the situation and slowly embarrassing the person by gently touching them with their little finger. Then they move their hand to the thigh and then to the inner thigh. So we see these kinds of patterns over and over again,” Yemini said. “We want people to be aware of this behavior and report it immediately.”