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Piyush Mathew, 31, of Robbinsville Township, must also serve five years of probation and register as a sex offender, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Thursday, Aug. 1.
Mathew, who pleaded guilty in March, was sentenced on Wednesday, July 31.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Sept. 7, 2023, Mathew and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were seated next to each other on United Airlines Flight 1300 from New Jersey to Bozeman, Montana.
Prior to departure, Mathew raised the armrest between them, and once the plane was in the air, he assaulted Doe for the duration of the flight, federal officials said.
Mathew, pretending to be asleep, touched Doe multiple times on different parts of her body, including her thighs, fingers, arms, stomach, and breasts, federal officials said.
Doe had hoped to alert the flight crew of Mathew’s behavior, however, Mathew stood immediately behind her for deboarding, and she felt she was unable to tell the flight crew, they said.
Instead, Doe approached another male passenger who was in front of them and pretended to know him as a safeguard from Mathew while leaving the plane.
The male passenger reported to law enforcement that Doe looked upset and as if she were about to cry.
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