Claremont, California, man convicted at trial of sexually molesting young woman on flight from Burbank, California to Seattle

Seattle – A 41-year-old Claremont, California man was convicted yesterday of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft enroute to Seattle from Burbank, California, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Justin Baker was arrested March 14, 2024, when the Alaska Airlines plane arrived at SEA.  Baker was taken into custody again yesterday immediately after the jury returned its guilty verdict.  The jury deliberated about 90 minutes following a three-day trial. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2025.

According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, Baker was in the middle seat, with the victim seated to his right next to the wall of the plane. Baker learned the victim was preparing to go to college and was just 18 years old. According to testimony at trial, Baker showed the teen sexually explicit text messages he had on his phone and then draped his jacket over his lap as well as her lower body. The victim attempted to move away from Baker and closer to the wall. He reached under the jacket and groped her leg and genitals over her clothing. Then he reached into her top and groped her breast. Despite the victim saying “No” and moving away when he first tried to touch her, he continued to grope her.

Ultimately, the victim got out of her seat to contact the flight crew. As she tried to pass by Baker, he groped her buttocks.

In closing argument Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster said the defendant “saw the word ‘No’ as a speedbump, not a stop sign.” At the trial prosecutors presented the testimony of different victim, who in 2004, as a girl of 15, was molested by Baker in a similar fashion. At the time Baker was a youth pastor who didn’t stop despite the victim telling him no when he tried to molest her under a blanket.

Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Coughenour after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Grace Zoller.