August 31, 2012 -- Updated 0134 GMT (0934 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Bawer Aksal was detained on August 21 upon his arrival in Newark, New Jersey
- Woman seated next to him on a flight from Phoenix accused him of abuse
- Federal government has jurisdiction over sex abuse cases that occur on U.S. flights
- Bail was set at $100,000 for Aksal, "who remains detained"
Bawer Aksal was detained
on August 21 upon his arrival in Newark, New Jersey. According to the
indictment, he was seated next to a woman in a window seat on a United
Airlines flight from Phoenix to Newark.
"While the plane was in
the air, the woman -- who did not know Aksal -- fell asleep with a
jacket across her legs. She awoke to find Aksal's hands inside her shirt
and shorts as he asked her to kiss him," according to a news release
from the District Attorney's Office in New Jersey.
The federal government
has exclusive jurisdiction over all sexual abuse cases that occur on
American airplane flights, as such events are outside the jurisdiction
of any state. If convicted, Aksal faces a maximum penalty of life in
prison and a $250,000 fine, the news release said.
On Thursday, U.S.
Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo set bail at $100,000 for Aksal, "who
remains detained," according to Matthew Reilly of the U.S. Attorney's
Office in New Jersey.
Calls to Aksal's criminal defense lawyer, Robert J. Degroot, were not immediately returned.
An additional hearing will not be scheduled until Aksal settles his bail, Reilly said.
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