SEATTLE — A California man was convicted Wednesday of abusive sexual contact after groping an 18-year-old woman on a flight to Seattle.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington announced in a release that Justin Baker was arrested on March 14 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after his flight landed from Burbank, California.
Court records said Baker was in the middle seat and the victim was seated to his right next to the window. Baker learned that the victim was just 18 and preparing for college. Baker began showing the victim sexually explicit text messages he had on his phone, before draping a jacket over his lap and her lower body, the release said.
The victim tried moving away, but Baker reached under the jacket and groped her leg and genitals over her clothing, the release said. Baker "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," according to the release.
Eventually, the victim got up from her seat to notify flight attendants, during which Baker groped her butt.
During the three-day trial, prosecutors presented the testimony of a different victim, who said she was molested by Baker in 2004 when she was just 15 years old.
"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. Sentencing is scheduled for January.
