California man sentenced for groping teen on flight to Seattle
SEATTLE - A 42-year-old California man was sentenced to two years in prison for groping a teenager on a flight to Seattle.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, 42-year-old Justin Baker was arrested March 14, 2024, once the plane he was on landed at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Baker has been in federal custody since he was found guilty in October 2024.
The backstory:
According to court records, Baker was on an Alaska Airlines flight seated in the middle seat. In the window seat next to him was an 18-year-old woman, who he learned was still in high school.
The woman testified that Baker showed her sexually explicit texts on his phone, then draped his jacket over both of their laps and started groping her leg. She tried to move away from him, closer to the wall of the plan, and told him "No" several times.
Baker continued to grope her privates over her clothing, then reached under her shirt and groped her chest.
The victim tried to get up and leave, but Baker groped her backside and pulled her back into her seat.
Eventually, the victim got away and spoke with the flight crew, who contacted Port of Seattle police.
What they're saying:
"This was a calculated and predatory sexual assault on an 18-year-old girl," said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Miller. "Mr. Baker underestimated the victim’s strength in testifying, as well as the commitment we have in the Western District of Washington to hold these aircraft offenders accountable."
The victim testified that her life trajectory changed after that flight, and that her family and loved ones "have watched me change in ways I have never imagined." She testified that she now feels unsafe at airports and when flying.
Hearing this, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed the maximum two-year sentence for Baker.
Once out of prison, Baker will remain under federal supervision for five years and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The Source: Information comes from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
BEST OF FOX 13 SEATTLE
Politics: Lawmakers propose pay-by-mile charge for WA drivers
Food: Starbucks phasing out plastic cups for cold drinks in WA, other states
Local: IRS tax refund schedule 2025: What you need to know
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.