A former airline mechanic, Duane Brick, was sentenced to six months in prison on Monday for sexually assaulting a woman seated next to him on a commercial flight last year. The assault occurred on a March 2023 flight from Phoenix to Seattle.
According to court documents, Brick, 53, took advantage of the 24-year-old victim’s attempt to sleep during the flight.
The victim, who had taken medication for anxiety about flying, put on headphones and closed her eyes.
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Brick reportedly initiated unwanted physical contact, grabbing her hand and placing it on his crotch. He then continued to touch her inappropriately despite her efforts to resist.
A nearby passenger witnessed the assault and alerted flight attendants. Brick was apprehended upon landing in Seattle. U.S. District Judge James H. Chun called the crime “serious and frightening” during Brick’s sentencing hearing, labeling him a “predator” who preyed on a vulnerable passenger.
In addition to the prison sentence, Brick will serve five years of supervised release.
Brick was indicted on April 12, 2023. His employment with the airline was terminated.
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