A 33-year-old doctor has been arrested and charged for allegedly masturbating and exposing himself in front of a 14-year-old female seated next to him onboard a flight from Honolulu to Boston.
US Attorney's Office in a statement said that the incident took place on a flight from Honolulu to Boston in May last year.
The doctor, identified as Dr Sudipta Mohanty, was charged by "criminal complaint with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States," according to the statement.
Mohanty was arrested on Thursday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, Mohanty is an internal medicine and primary care doctor with a practice in Boston.
It is alleged that Mohanty was a passenger aboard a Hawaiian Airlines Flight en-route from Honolulu to Boston with a female companion on May 27, 2022.
He was seated next to a 14-year-old minor, who was travelling with her grandparents, who were seated nearby.
The US Attorney's Office in a press release said, "About half-way through the flight, the minor allegedly observed that Mohanty had covered himself with a blanket up to his neck and that Mohanty’s leg was bouncing up and down."
It further said, "Shortly thereafter, the minor observed that the blanket was on the floor, no longer covering Mohanty, and that Mohanty was masturbating.
“The minor moved herself to an empty seat in a different row for the remainder of the flight." After reaching Boston, the minor informed her family members about the incident and law enforcement was notified.
According to the press release, the charge of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US provides for a sentence of up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000 (about R95,000).
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S Levy in the press release said, "Everyone, especially children, has the absolute right to not be exposed to lewd conduct when they are travelling."
Levy further said, "If you engage in the type of illicit behaviour alleged here, you will be caught and held accountable wherever it happens."