Indian Man Sentenced for S*xual Assaults on Seattle-Bound Flights

Two men have been sentenced for s*xually assaulting passengers on separate flights to Seattle, highlighting the strict enforcement of federal laws against in-flight misconduct.

Abhinav Kumar, a 39-year-old Indian national, received a 15-month prison sentence for abusive s*xual contact. His conviction followed a three-day trial in May. The incident occurred on February 18, when Kumar allegedly groped a juvenile passenger while she was asleep on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Seattle. Kumar was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport upon arrival.

Desmond Bostick, a 45-year-old from Federal Way, was sentenced to nine months in prison for assault with intent to commit a felony. Bostick pleaded guilty in April as part of a plea agreement and will also serve three years of supervised release. His offense happened on June 20, 2023, during a flight from San Diego, where he repeatedly touched a woman’s thigh and grabbed her buttocks on multiple occasions. The woman reported Bostick’s actions to the flight crew after the plane landed, leading to his arrest by the FBI on February 9.

US Attorney Tessa M. Gorman stated the zero-tolerance policy for s*xual assault on aircraft, noting an increase in such cases in the Western District of Washington. She stated, “These cases demonstrate that there are real consequences for this predatory behavior.”