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Subscribe to RSSA New Jersey man is due in federal court Wednesday after being charged with sex abuse for allegedly molesting a woman sleeping next to him on a plane from Phoenix to Newark, officials said.
Bawer Aksal, 48, of North Bergen, N.J., was arrested after the woman complained that he touched her breasts and genitals while she was sleeping beside him on the United Airlines flight, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday.
The two did not know each other, said officials at the U.S. Attorney's office in Newark.
The woman, who fell asleep with a jacket across her legs, awoke to find Aksal's hands inside her shorts and shirt when he whispered to her, "Kiss me," officials said.
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After demanding Aksal get off her and slamming down the armrest between them, the woman then rose and went to the back of the plane, where she reported what happened to a flight attendant, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a statement.
Upon landing, FBI agents arrested Aksal. During an interview with police, he admitted to having his hand in the victim’s shorts, but he claimed she forced his hand there.
Police interviewed another passenger seated next to Aksal, who said he noticed that while the victim appeared asleep, he saw Aksal’s arm under the jacket that was draped across her legs.
Aksal was detained upon landing in Newark Monday afternoon. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Attorney information was not immediately available.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over all sexual abuse cases that occur in American airplanes, and such events are outside the jurisdiction of any state.
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In a similar incident, a woman who took a sedative on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from the Philippines to Honolulu last week reported that a man fondled her several times while she slept in the seat next to him, Honolulu's KHON reported.
The man, Luavalu Seuva’ai, 22, claimed he did not sexually touch the victim but was merely flirting with her when he rubbed her arm.
Hawaiian Airlines said as soon as the alleged incident was reported to flight attendants, Seuva'ai was moved to a different seat and authorities were notified. He was taken into custody upon landing.
Seuva’ai appeared before a federal judge Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The judge ordered that he be released to his sister until his next court hearing in September ona $25,000 signature bond.
NBCNewYork.com contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Why the difference in both cases?
I didn't see any difference. What are you referring to?
Probably that difference.
We live in such a wacky place when it comes to jail sentences and fines. Rapists are out in a matter of years, but this guy faces possible life and an astronomical fine? For what? Iunno..not at all condoning what he did, but that's awful steep for grabbin some boobies and vajayjay. I mean the woman wasn't a little girl, she was a woman.
Let's get a reasonable punishment here.
Aksal claimed that he was just administering an OBGYN exam as defined under the Ryan-Romney healthcare plan. Simultaneously putting pervs to work AND solving the healthcare crisis... Romney-Ryan 2012!
Xabre
In the other case there was no mention of potential fine or jail penalties, only the bond amount, and that he was released to his sister until the next court date. The penalty if either is convicted is still up life and $250,000...no difference.
I must agree with Mike2580501, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to how courts decide bail amounts or sentencing.
Some years ago I was arrested and falsely accused of domestic battery (case was tossed out and my accuser was locked up for five counts of perjury). I had roots in the community (my family had lived there nine generations), I worked for the local fire department, had no savings to run with or a passport, all my family lived in the same town, and I was innocent (so much so the Deputy Police Chief, sitting beside the PROSECUTOR, rose to speak in my defense). Zero flight risk. MY bail was set at $50,000.
The ass in the cell next to mine blatantly confessed to beating the hell out of his fiance, and even BRAGGED about it. He was not a local, he was in town on a construction job, and had out of town family with money to help him. HIS bail? PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE!
I understand that each case must be judged on its own merits. In my case even the prosecutor, who ALSO recommended I be released ROR, was appalled. Sit in a court room on arraignment day and observe. You will NEVER make sense of it.
Conceptually I see no difference, but the details might have been different. The first guy went into her Holy of Holies, while the second might have fondled breasts. Had this been a state matter, in some states one might argue that it had been ruled that breasts are not sexual organs. That's usually the line that's used when women are allowed to go barebreasted in public. As I said, the details in the second incident are sketchy, so we can't say much. The contrary is that such acts of touch can only be consensual. Anything outside that which is not accidental is an assault.
That is so hot! Need to plan trip and see if any pervs want me.
Probably not unless you are gay. Heterosexual men usually are not so lucky as to run into heterosexual women that are that forward. Usually. Darn.
Perhaps it is because airplane seats are like sardine cans and the ACCUSED fell asleep and his arm drifted accidentally.
And in the second case that errant arm just happen to slip under a jacket across a woman's lap in mid-dream, which is why he said, "Kiss me"?
@ StandUpJokeOff - Perhaps he was reciting a line from a dream he was having.
Yeah. Accidentally I am sure. Freak
Perhaps you have done this before gloss.............................Perhaps.............
Gloss
@ StandUpJokeOff - Perhaps he was reciting a line from a dream he was having.
would that be a wet one?
I think it is due in part to the misconception that women in the U.S. are all sex crazed nymphos.
I get so tired of that particular stereotype. I am a certified massage therapist and i can't tell you how many times I have had to defend myself.
so many men are such pigs-----not all but too many give the rest a bad rep.
You know you want it
All men are pigs
I'm also a massage therapist and I had to stop massaging men
because of so many sexual advances
YUCK
When I was in the Navy, I once had a fellow sailor that I didn't know come up, grab my buttocks, lean in to my ear and say, "I know you like that, don't you?" I was playing pinball at the time, with my body close to the machine and my attention on the game. I was wearing my uniform (what used to be called the "Johnny Cash" uniform--a long-sleeved black shirt, buttoned all the way up with a tie, and black trousers... HARDLY sexy!), not looking around, and had never flirted with the guy or said more than ten words to him previously that would have "encouraged" any such behavior.
What exactly makes men think they can just come up and grab women, and that women are going to respond positively to any and all physical contact that is made? Or that we're in any way "asking for it" just because we're there?
TO: StandUpKokeOff who wrote:
They're probably Republicans who believe that THEY are in charge of all of all women's wombs.
Really American Girl? How is everything made political within ten comments. Pervs are in both parties.
American Girl-724855
Poor attempt at humor I hope. Besides, Anthony Weiner and Bill Clinton...nevermind, it worked out pretty well for them.
Republicans would say that was not a "legitimate" grab
It's ok Joe and Dingle..really your name is dingle??? Anywho, American girl has serious issues. If you look at any of her previous posts she can turn rainbow farts into the GOP raping and murdering children.
MakesSense I saw that, she is a nut job must be a democrat, I don't mean that but if she is going to lump people in.........
Damn those rainbows! And what did they ever do to help the Democratic party, anyway?
Lay off the politics, already.
American Girl,
If you read Obama's health care plan, it no longer requires gynocologists to be lisenced, just Democrats.
Yawn.
it took until the end of the comment before I realized SUJO was a woman - ruined the whole thing for me.
was hoping for some man-on-man crime, a little retribution and a learning for all.
all I got was a mini-rant
Rofl..me too, I thought it was a guy telling a story about how some other dude came up and fondled him. I assumed an uppercut was going to be at the end of that story.
"What exactly makes men think they can just come up and grab women, and that women are going to respond positively to any and all physical contact that is made?"
mmmmmmmmmmmm.......hot chicks..................................but I have never had a negative response either. So I dunno.
Mike-2580501 and That's What's Up -
WT............................. Now why would you think like that, unless it turned you on?
Hmm not sure! I'd probably guess it was due to all of the masculine words and associations leading the story in. Hearing(or reading) 'fellow sailor', I just automatically thought of a guy. Same thing when I read 'Johnny Cash uniform' I didn't really picture a woman dressed as a man.
But what really did it for me was when she said she was standing close to a pinball machine. Had she said she was standing with her body up close to the stove in the kitchen, THEN i would've known it was a woman.
Screw your pc crap, no one cares.
"Screw your pc crap, no one cares."
So, you're gay.........it's ok dude, I don't care either.
why would you assume I'd be offended by being called gay? (I'm not offended)
A few years back I was walking on the street by a waterfront park in my municipality. I saw an abandoned fishing rod in the mud, and went to take a look. there was a guy walking the sidewalk behind me, and I didn't pay a lot of attention, until he followed me off the sidewalk and as I bent to pull the rod out of the mud, he grabbed a handful of my privates. I yelled, he took off, I chased him about a half mile down the street before the cops caught up with us.
Turned out he was a registered sex offender, a pedophile, just touched down after doing ten years for molesting a ten year old girl. He saw me from the back, thought I was young (5', 120, Hannah Montana t-shirt borrowed from my niece, jeans, hair in braids) and decided to grab a handful. He was charged with assault and battery, illegal weapons, and 4th degree sex offense, went to jail for eight months, then the appeals judge said since I wasn't a minor, what happened wasn't a reflection off his prior bad act and overturned his conviction. The only thing that stood was the illegal weapons charge, and the judge sentenced him to time served for that and he walked out of there.
So in answer to your question---that's why. We don't crack down hard enough on them when it happens, or the legal system lets them off on a technicality. This is still a very male-dominant world, and although things have gotten better, we still have a long way to go.
Amanda.
Yeah I guess it is a man's world - check out the divorce courts and see who gets screwed!
Check out the female teachers who have sex with students and only get a slap on the wrist or the minimum charge at worst. A judge actually said he sentenced men for the max when it came to abuse of students but he was more lenient with women.
The only thing you said that makes sense is the system is screwed up!
Their minds work very differently. Where I work my uniform is very formal with no skin showing and I wear no makeup. My looks are very average. Creepy men always hit on me and bother me and won't leave me alone. I hope you slapped that sailor clear across the room! My dad said to me, "Men are going to look and look, and if you even give them the tiniest smile, they will see that as encouragement and go after you with their all."
Notatroll, I had a dirty ol' biologist (my boss's boss's boss) hit on me while we were conducting a survey by electrofishing. I was wearing full cold weather gear and chest waders--and holding a charged electrode. We were tethered to a generator that was making so much noise no one else but me could hear what he was saying. I'm a married woman and the old goat was a married man. I really should have caught him in the current--the electric one, not the river current.
@StandUpJokeOff,
You said: "What exactly makes men think they can just come up and grab women, and that women are going to respond positively to any and all physical contact that is made? Or that we're in any way "asking for it" just because we're there?"
Your naval colleague fits the pervert model. What I find intriguing is the kind of generalizations used by SOME women when they address any male misbehavior. 1. Predators generally go for prey they believe is crushable. 2. Some predators have uncontrollable drives, and they manifest them in different ways, depending on their ability/inability to find weak/weaker prey. The female manifestation of this kind of drive in sexual matters comes in different ways, especially because of TYPICAL (not always tenable) physical strength relationships between male and female, and because the male anatomy provides a usable weapon (!) that the female does not. 3.Society's perceives female sexual assault as seduction, and in most males a woman fondling their penis in a plane (obviously an assault) might be seen as a convertible moment for sexual gratification. Just remember that girl who comes out of nowhere an falls on your chest as you stand at one corner of the dance hall. If you're a man, do that and it might be your last day of freedom for a long while.
As someone who was harrassed for a long time at a bank by a senior female executive while I was under new-employee probation and vulnerable, I usually take umbrage at the male generalizations. In my case this aggressive and exceedingly beautiful divorced 40-year old woman made my life hell as soon as I got my 23 year old body and soul into the bank. That was in the 80's and I had little recourse, and I wanted to keep my well-paid job badly. Even when I mentioned it to her immediate boss, he said I should enjoy it! I did sleep with her a few times, before she was moved (to my relief!) to a different city on PROMOTION, but I remember the violation most days. Every unwanted non-accidental physical contact is an assault, and let no one find any reason to justify any of it.
How come no one ever does this to me in flight? Some people have all the luck!!!
Seriously, those people in first class have all the fun...
Because you're not flaming enough, I dunno?
what's you're obsession with making this a gay thing "punisher"? If you come out of the closet, we will respect you more
It's not gay if you don't kiss. Right?
The Federal Government has jurisdiction over this and the guy faces life in prison if convicted?
So our Federal Government can put people away for life for fondling someone but don't do anything to the big banks who destroyed lives and basicallly the US economy?
Our justice system is beyond wacked.
Sleepinsadie................You are so right!!
He was released to his sister? How old is this dumb a*s*s? 12?
And people complained on a thread a couple of weeks ago that the airlines were making policies not to sit men next to unaccompanied minors on flights. These two incidents show why the airlines are making this policy.
Thank goodness this is in the majority, but obviously some guys have trouble controlling their impulses and keeping their hands to themselves. Maybe they thought they were in a Penthouse Forum daydream...?
Not cool.
Translating a policy that punishes all of one group for the behaviors of a few is wrong. I could post stereotypes about other groups and situations in which said stereotypes were reinforced, but that would be just as wrong.
Excuse me, but have you missed the headlines about adults molesting children in the last few years? They are everywhere, in every occupation, and they will take any opportunity to satisfy their urges - the airlines are being proactive and simply setting up barriers to have prevent that from happening on their flights. If grown women are getting molested on flights while sleeping from men who can't control themselves, how do you think it will go with little children sitting next to a potential pedophile during a long flight? Think that'll go well?
If one child is spared molestation from a pedophile, it is worth it!
BTW, here's another woman being molested on a flight story from my local news website today: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/08/man_gropes_pregnant_woman_and.html
Yea, so let's punish all men for the behaviors of a few. What kind of slippery slope is that? What's to say Group X shouldn't all be punished tomorrow? I'm sorry, but this is discriminatory, not matter what way you try to say it.
No, excuse me. I'm done debating these discriminatory practices.
Example today of another pedophile molesting young girls whenever he had the chance:
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13416119-grandpa-81-accused-of-molesting-young-girls-in-florida?lite
Every day, the news says "Sexually violent predator released to (address) and neighbors notified.
Bawer Aksal.....Hmmmmmmmmmm wonder where he is from. What a SICKO!
Brooke inFt lauderdale: maybe he is "Mentally retarded!!!"
This perv appears to have a Muslim name. I know they are sex deprived, and as there were
no goats on the plane, he just got friendly with the gal next to him.
Operative word John....
MOOOOOO SLIM
OOOh the goat..because he's a muslim and there's goats in the middle east. I get it!
Were it a white American(not that there are ever any white American sexual predators in the news!) what would be the animal correlation?...sheep?
john 528
This perv appears to have a Muslim name.
Really? Your ignorance knows no bounds does it? I guess when you're a bigot, everyone who doesn't have a name of John Smith is muslim.
Shut the @!$%# up u racist low life bastard
No the animal correlation for this @!$%# head would be a dog
Touching on that subject, an afghan friend of mine told me the taliban send sheep through minefields to see if there are any mines there. If the sheep blows up, it's dinner. If the sheep survives, it's a date !
He always says the taliban need to be exterminated like the cockroaches that they are, and I tend to agree with him. Nothing against muslims in general, but the taliban are a danger to humanity and need to be contained, and if possible eliminated.
All I know is if it had been me, the flight attendant would be calling for an ambulance to be there when we landed...
Kat, I bet you wear flannel shirts, black t-shirt underneath and Lee blue jeans and listen to both K.D.Lang and Melissa Etheridge and have a crew cut. You go butch girl...
I'd love to watch Kat, dressed in pink chiffon and high heels, kick your a$$, Air Head.
Let me tell you something "Air Head", my ex-hubby abused me. When I got healed up & divorced, I took self defense classes so I could protect myself from idiots like this. There's a difference between 2 consenting adults doing it & a perv (of which you are probably just like) doing it. And 'mach'... bandage mini dress & 4" spikes... :-)
Right on Kat!!!
Hell yeah. Since when does a girl have to be butch to beat a man's ass? I'm tired of women being looked at as the weaker sex. Self-defense classes (and older brothers :D) help the weaker sex learn to defend themselves against people who actually belive their weaker and try to take advantage of it. Way to go Kat!
You tell em' flap licker
Oh, you go Kat! You tell 'em!!!!!
Why did these women have to make such a big deal about this? I mean, both of them could have had some fun with it, if they just relaxed. I assume they like being touched at some point, so why not just go with it? Let the guys touch them and just enjoy the experience.
Are you f@#$ing kidding me? I seriously hope you're a troll, "Sarah." If not, then your mother must have dropped you on your head when you were a child.
Sarah.............I love you!
Tell me what flight your booked on next so I can book a seat right next to you. You may just bring fun back to flying again. But you know what ? I think the airlines are charging a fee now for new mile high club members but you Sarah may be all worth it. C'mon on now, don't be shy what flight ???
Sarah, you are CRAZY!!!
I don't know what the second pervert is up for, but I hope the first one gets life in prison. There is no excuse for that, and I doubt this was the first time he had ever done something like that. Anyone who tries to wield power over someone like that is dangerous.
i was on that flight! it didnt land monday afternoon but at midnight. he was sitting about 10 rows ahead of me. when we landed they told us to stay seated because there was a medical emergency on the back of the plane. once we got to the gate port authority cops, not fbi, came into the plane, talked to the stewardess then asked "which guy?" they pointed to him and said "row 25" i turned around and the woman was hugging the stewardess crying. i started hearing people say he touched her while sleeping and i said the woman should of screamed so we can beat him up. the guy looked shady when i saw him. i had him profiled and was watching him every time he got up!
John - if you had beat him up you could be looking at 10 years in prison.
Tom, yes, the woman should have screemed!!!
I say sue United Airlines because it's their fault you know. They should have identified that this man was a sex starved lunatic while they were boarding the flight. And also sue the T.S.A. who should have identified this man when walking through the x-ray machine. I mean really, what did they think was sticking out from the front of his pants a fishing rod ??? And also sue all the other customers seated around her row for not assisting her while she was being molested. So I see quite a few multi-million dollar law suits here so where is that damn ambulance chasing, puddle slipping, hot coffee spilling scum bag of a lawyer at ?
OMG I cannot tell you how bad that guy would have been beaten, had I woke up to find some filthy bas**rd touching me, let alone with his hands in my pants ..........lol ooooooooooooooo Lord help him because I would have been beating him like I serve my opponent in racquetball - HARD AND FIERCE! The nasty SOB, and to be WHISPERING KISS ME? How about KICK ME u rotten ahole ....although this is NOT a laughing matter, im laughing because I KNOW that I would have SNAPPED and attacked him like a lion protecting her cubs, he'd be roadkill for sure! And were this one of my daughters? JESUS would be his only answer .....because he would be seeing his maker!
You do realize that if you attacked him on the airplane you'd be looking a life in prison too - don't you?
Are you black, if so, i love your attitude!
Probably going to try the sharia law defense, in islam its ok to rape women.
Super Brain, "Stupid laws for stupid people!"
Islam doesn't say it's ok to rape women, but arab men have a propensity for domestic violence, for sure..
In the first case the punishment seems pretty steep(tax payers will have to pay for this guys punishment at about 50,000 dollars per yr)Multiply that times 20-30 or more yrs and you have a heck of alot of money..The second case doesn't make much sense,He felt her up a few times while she was sleeping??How does she know it was a few times if she was sleeping??
This is normal behavior in Jersey...all of 'em are f'n animals.
Those are strange, made-up names. Probably black men. That's why the article didn't mention race.
NOTE to SELF: lots of RED Bull before flying. Do not fall asleep on plane. Maybe start first all female passenger airline.
Life in prison - that seems extreme. Aksal's trial will probably cost taxpayers - 100K$ if Aksai pleads innocent. He probably will because he doesn't have much to gain by pleading guilty. Then taxpayers will pay another 50$ per day for (say) 30 years. Total cost to taxpayers 650,000$. Then there is the cost to Aksal's family - he probably has a wife and kid that depend on him for income.
Then there is the jail over crowding issue. Wouldn't you rather save this space that Aksals going to take for someone who did something really bad.
All this because he touched a woman's genitals while she was asleep. Yeah Aksal deserves a month or two in jail. Most people - even me - have never spent a DAY in prison. I have't been there - but even one day is really-really unpleasant.
When the trial is over and some prosecutor - whose makes 150K a year - will announce how proud he is to take a dangerous person like Aksal off the street.
Aksal is getting a sentence that's up there with Bernie Madoff or The Joker James Holmes.
A strangeness about this is that Aksal probably didn't have a clue he'd be facing life in prison. He probably would have guessed at most he might be looking at would be a 1000$ fine.
It reminds me a little bit about the Texas High School coach who gave two 18 year old football stars oral sex. She probably figured - what's the worst that can happen - I'll lose my job - and instead she lost her job and she got five years in prison. In her case - I think - the judge didn't have discretion - by law a 5 year sentence was a mandated minimum sentence.
I'm speaking for myself of course - but stories like these really make me not want to fly on a jet. You get on thinking in a few hours you're going to be 1000 miles away - and you could get off looking at 10 years in prison or life - all because of someone you've never met stuck the back of his chair into your lap and told you to get f*d if you don't like it and you lost your temper and popped his head with your finger.