Ramesh Advani, who was arrested as he got off the plane at Newark Liberty International Airport on May 10, 2010, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact charges in April (SEE: Man admits sexually assaulting female seat mate).
Advani was seated next to the victim while on board an overnight flight on May 10, 2010. The woman had a blanket covering part of her body as she slept, federal authorities said.
Two passengers sitting directly behind them witnessed the incident -- which they said began when he stuck his hand under the blanket and ended when Advani reached inside his own pants and cleaned his genitals with a handful of napkins.
The good Samaritans began kicking her chair. She awoke, went to the bathroom and alerted the flight crew (SEE: Woman sexually assaulted by seat mate).
The federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over all sexual abuse cases that occur in American airplanes over international waters, because such crimes are not within the jurisdiction of any state.
U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh also sentenced Advani to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman credited FBI agents with making the case, which was presented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Llanes and Zach Intrater of his Criminal Division in Newark.
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