A registered sex offender, Yoel Oberlander has admitted that
he improperly touched a woman aboard a flight from Israel to the U.S. last
year. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to assault with intent to commit stalking,
federal prosecutors in New Jersey say.
The 36-year-old New
York man faces up to 10 years in prison when he's sentenced
June 28.
Prosecutors say the groping occurred aboard an El Al flight
from Tel Aviv to Newark Liberty airport in May 2016.
The victim was sitting next to Oberlander, who admitted
'that he touched her in the area of her chest, upper thigh, and hand without
her consent, and that he did so with the intent to harass and intimidate her,'
federal prosecutors said in a Wednesday news release.
A criminal
complaint from last year said that Oberlander was sitting in the
window seat during the flight, with the victim in the middle seat and the
victim's mother in the aisle seat.
The document said: 'Several hours into the Flight, after
dinner was served and the cabin lights were dimmed, Defendant Oberlander placed
his hand on the Victim's left thigh.
'The victim changed positions, after which Defendant removed
his hand from the Victim's thigh. Shortly thereafter, Defendant Oberlander
again placed his hand on the Victim's thigh. Again, the Victim shifted
her position in her seat, causing defendant Oberlander to remove his hand.'
According to the complaint, later during the trip 'the Victim, whose eyes were closed and was attempting to sleep, felt Oberlander's hand on her left breast, over her shirt.
'Not wanting to alert Defendant Oberlander that she was
awake, Victim 1 shifted her position in her seat closer to her mother, after
which Defendant Oberlander removed his hand from her breast.'
The complaint said that later 'Defendant Oberlander began
rubbing the victim's hand, at which point victim, put her hands in her
sweatshirt pockets.
'Defendant Oberlander then moved his hand and again placed
it on the victim's left breast, over her clothing.'
The complaint said the woman 'turned completely away from
Defendant Oberlander and crossed her arms and covered herself with a blanket'.
The document that when her mother woke up, the victim asked
her to swap seats.
The victim reported what happened to the flight crew before
the plane landed, according to the complaint.
Authorities have said that Oberlander was convicted in 2002
in New York of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl.
Daily Mail
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