New York man pleads guilty to assaulting woman on flight to Newark
A New York man admitted he assaulted and harassed a woman during a flight from Denver to Newark Liberty International Airport in an attempt to stalk her.
The defendant, Ryan Manuella, 30, of Cheektowaga, New York, avoided federal prosecutors' initial charge of abusive sexual contact when he pleaded guilty on Tuesday to assault with intent to stalk on an airplane, according to the justice department.
Initial allegations claimed Manuella moved about the airplane during the trip, sitting in multiple seats to which he was not assigned, eventually sitting between another passenger and his victim during the April 2021 flight.
After assuming the center seat, he allegedly groped the woman on her thigh and groin, at which point the woman yelled at Manuella and alerted a flight attendant, who placed her in a different seat for the rest of the flight, according to the DOJ's original complaint.
When the plane landed in Newark, Manuella was interviewed by authorities, the document states.
Upon sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 1, Manuella could face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY man admits to assaulting woman on flight to Newark airport
