Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
A Florida man of 80 years old, who was caught masturbating on a flight with a 21-year-old girl in April, pleaded guilty of a federal crime.
Donald Edward Robinson entered his guilty plea on Tuesday inin the District Court for Massachusetts, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Bonita Springs resident, Florida, admitted to one count of lewd, indecent, and obscene acts while in United States special aircraft jurisdiction.
The feds identified the aircraft as “Flight of United Airlines en route from Newark, New Jersey to Boston, Massachusetts.”
The Law&Crime site reported at the time of the incident, the victim of 21 years wrote a message on his phone to call the attention of a fellow traveler to the illegal conduct: “Hello, this man assaulted me and touched my leg and he is masturbating.”
The feds said the woman recorded Robinson in the act using his iPhone.
“The victim became very uncomfortable and did not want to turn and look directly at Robinson to see what he was doing. Instead, the victim used her iPhone to take a short video of Robinson to see what she was doing. The victim later saw the video and realized that Robinson was manipulating his penis through his pants”, he pointed out the affidavit in the case.
The FBI special agent investigating the case said he saw the video and that it shows Robinson “stroking his crotch area in a manner consistent with holding or manipulating his penis”.
“The victim stated that she was in shock and did not know what to do. She looked away and pulled her jacket over her head and body. The victim did her best to ignore Robinson and what he was doing, but she continued to feel the man move,” the affidavit continues.
“About five minutes before landing, Robinson placed his hand on the victim’s upper thigh, who asked Robinson why he was touching her. Robinson withdrew his hand and looked out the window.”
The victim alerted a fellow traveler, to a flight attendant, and finally to a gate agent about the crime.
He later told him told the FBI Investigating Special Agent that he first realized Robinson was exposing himself when he heard the sound of his pants coming open.
The US Attorney’s Office suggested that Robinson’s behavior as he exited the plane was also revealing.
“During the deplaning process, the victim approached a flight attendant about the incident, but was unable to point the finger at Robinson due to the volume of disembarking passengers,” said a press release.
“Security footage captured Robinson, leaving the secure area of the terminal , repeatedly looking back in the direction of where he came from while heading to the level of the baggage carousel.”
The Justice Department previously noted that Robinson “quickly removed two suitcases” from the baggage carousel” and “joined a group of two women and two men who they were already there.”
US Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler set the sentence for March 2, months after the new year, but just under a year after the crime was committed. Robinson faces up to 800 days behind bars. He also faces a possible fine of $5, dollars and one year of supervised release.
Read more
VIDEO: Texas lawyer tried to shoot his ex-girlfriend in an Austin barCouple rescued injured hiker who was lost in California desert for 2 weeks Hispanic guard ran “rape club” inside a women’s prison in California