Boston father convicted of molesting girl through seat gap on JetBlue flight while going on vacation with his wife and children
Jonathan Alan Lefman, 48, was convicted of sexually touching a 17-year-old passenger on a JetBlue flight from Puerto Rico to Boston. The case matters because the jury found him guilty of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft, an offence carrying potential prison time and long-term supervision.
Prosecutors said Lefman repeatedly reached through the gap beneath the seat in front of him and touched the girl’s buttocks without consent. She tried to move away, identified him through a reflection in the seatback screen and recorded his fingers on her phone. He was travelling with his wife and four children, including a 16-year-old son seated beside him; the son was not accused of wrongdoing. Lefman is due to be sentenced in January and faces up to two years in prison, supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
In short
- A jury convicted Jonathan Lefman of abusive sexual contact on a JetBlue flight.
- The 17-year-old passenger recorded his fingers through the seat gap.
- He faces up to two years in prison and sentencing in January.
Explained simply
US federal law can apply to crimes committed aboard aircraft travelling to or from the United States. Abusive sexual contact is a federal offence, and a conviction can bring prison time, supervised release and a fine.
The case involved Jonathan Alan Lefman and a 17-year-old passenger on a flight from Puerto Rico to Boston. Prosecutors said he touched her without consent through a gap beneath the seat in front of him; she moved away and recorded his fingers on her phone. His family were travelling with him, and his 16-year-old son was not accused of wrongdoing.