Washington man was texting his girlfriend about molesting small children while on a plane, when fellow passenger spots the text and reports him to the police. Shortly after the plane has landed, the law authorities were waiting the man at the gate.
A Washington man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sex abuse crimes after a fellow passenger on an airplane saw his texts about molesting children and reported him to authorities.
Michael, 58-years-old, was on a plane when he sent texts to his girlfriend talking about molesting two kids. According to the criminal complaint, a female passenger spotted the texts and alerted the fight crew. The crew arranged for law enforcement to meet the plane at the gate.
Michael was arrested when the plane landed. He was charged in federal court with conspiracy to produce child pornography.
Upon his arrest, police confiscated Michael’s phone. According to the complaint, authorities found hundreds of text messages in which Michael talked with his girlfriend about molesting two children she babysat. In the texts, Michael and 52-year-old Gail discuss the plan to drug, sexually assault and film the two children, aged 5 and 7.
Investigators found that the couple had produced and shared several hundred sexually explicit images of children.
The judge in the case strongly condemned Michael during the sentencing hearing. “This case for me has been the most disturbing case that I have had,” the judge said. “[These offenses] beset on society a waterfall of negative repercussions that can never be repaired.”
Michael was sentenced in the U.S. District Court to 15 years in prison.
