New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Woman Seated Next to Him on 2024 Los Angeles to Philadelphia Flight

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Vernon Baker, 41, of Linden, New Jersey, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Anita B. Brody to one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft.

The defendant was charged with that offense by indictment in January of this year.

As detailed in court filings, on October 30, 2024, aboard a commercial flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, Baker made sexual advances toward the female passenger sitting next to him. After the victim refused his advances, Baker took out his penis and forcibly tried to get the victim to touch him. He then grabbed her breast over her clothing and untied her pants. Traumatized and shaken, the victim rushed to the back of the cabin, where she reported this assault to flight attendants.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3 and faces a maximum possible term of three years’ imprisonment, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Davison and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon.