Seattle, Wash. – Jack Allen Roberson, 69, of Andrews, was seated next to a 15-year-old girl on board a Delta Air Lines aircraft on July 16 traveling from Atlanta to Washington state with her aunt, who is her guardian, according to conandaily.com.
Shortly after the plane took off, Roberson dropped his headphones and the teenager picked them up. He allegedly told her, “Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
While Roberson appeared to be sleeping during the flight, he allegedly slipped his hand onto the teen’s thigh and ran it up under her skirt and toward her genitals, conandaily.com reported. She reported the unwanted touching to her aunt, who switched seats with her.
After the aunt contacted the flight crew, Roberson was moved to a different seat. He was arrested at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He told federal investigators that he had eight alcoholic beverages before boarding the flight and drank two double vodka tonics on the flight.
Roberson was taken to the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac. He will remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing, conandaily.com reported.
A federal public defender was appointed to represent Roberson. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.