Minneapolis man convicted of molesting boy, 16, next to him on flight to MSP
Jurors have convicted a Minneapolis man of molesting a teenage boy sitting next to him on a flight with his family back to the Twin Cities.
Neeraj Chopra, 40, was found guilty after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis of abusive sexual contact during the Jet Blue flight in April 2019 from Boston to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
According to the evidence presented at trial and court documents:
During the flight, Chopra retrieved a blanket from his backpack and draped it over his lap, with a portion of it also covering the teen's right leg.
Chopra put his hand under the blanket and began touching the teen between the legs. He ignored the teen's repeated requests to stop. At one point, the teen got the attention of his brother seated in front of him and told him what happened.
The FBI interviewed Chopra after the plane landed. He admitted that he "touched [the teen] inappropriately" during the flight, one court document filed by the prosecution read. He also admitted that the touching happened more than once, though he claimed it was accidental, the document continued.
When asked specifically whether his hand ever touched the teenager's genitals, the Chopra stated, " 'I don't remember,' " the document quoted him as saying.
Chopra faces up to two years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
