A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted two men — an Alexandria man and a New York City man — for criminal conduct on planes arriving at Dulles International Airport.
According to a news release, Elias Fethamlk, 40, of Alexandria, assaulted a flight attendant while on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight traveling from Dublin, Ireland, to Dulles.
Fethamlk is charged with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of simple assault.
He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Separately, Ivan Lopez Jr., 26, of New York City, is accused of sexually assaulting another passenger on his flight from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to Dulles.
A woman said he groped her while she was asleep in the seat next to him, according to the Justice Department. The indictment alleges that she awoke to Lopez repeatedly rubbing her right breast.
She allegedly yelled at Lopez when she woke up and he moved to the back of the aircraft.
Lopez then allegedly admitted to a flight attendant that he sexually assaulted the woman.
He’s charged with abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft in flight and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
