A federal jury has found a 48-year-old man guilty of repeatedly sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl inside a JetBlue sexual abuse incident aboard a passenger flight traveling from Puerto Rico to Boston.
Incident Details on the JetBlue Flight
According to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jonathan Allen Lepman, a resident of Newton, was indicted for touching the 17-year-old victim’s body without consent multiple times on an August 30, 2024, flight while she was seated directly in front of him. Prosecutors stated that Lepman slipped his hand through the gap between the seat back and the lower cushion to repeatedly grope the victim’s buttocks. At the time, he was traveling with his wife and four children, with his 16-year-old son seated right beside him.
Evidence and Victim’s Actions
The victim reportedly noticed Lepman leaning forward through the reflection of the seatback monitor and captured photographic evidence of his fingers emerging through the seat gap. Upon landing, the victim’s family directly confronted Lepman and showed the video and photographic evidence to JetBlue crew members. Initially, Lepman claimed he was just stretching, and when investigators asked if the fingers in the photo belonged to him, he reportedly answered that he was “not sure.”
Verdict and Sentencing
After a three-day trial, the jury returned a guilty verdict on one count of sexual abuse within the special aircraft jurisdiction. His sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2027, where he faces up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and an extended period of supervised release.
