Woman claims man groped her while she slept during flight

A woman on a flight between Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. claims a man who was seated next to her groped her while she slept.

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The woman said the man, later identified as Ivan Lopez, Jr., was rubbing her right breast when she woke up during the flight from Las Vegas to Washington Dulles International Airport on Dec. 24. She said that she saw him leaning over her and his hand was on her chest, the Department of Justice said in a news release.

The woman said the contact was not accidental due to the “repetitive motion” that happened over the span of 10 seconds, according to court documents.

The woman yelled at Lopez, saying “Get away from me.” Lopez then got up and went to the back of the plane to speak to a flight attendant, the DOJ alleged.

A flight attendant on the plane told an FBI agent that Lopez spoke to her in the rear galley telling her that he had sexually assaulted the woman, that he thought he was in trouble and that he was sorry, court records alleged.

The flight attendant moved Lopez from his original seat to one away from the woman. He then reiterated to the flight attendant that he was sorry and that he had a disability.

Lopez, however, later told FBI agents that he wanted to get his seatmate’s attention to ask her what she was listening to on her headphones and that he tried to poke her shoulder, but due to mild turbulence, missed and touched her breast, court documents state.

Lopez has been charged with abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft in flight and if convicted, faces up to two years in prison, the Department of Justice said.

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