Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
A Newton man has been taken into custody and charged with allegedly making repeated sexual contact with a 17-year-old female passenger on a flight from Puerto Rico to Boston in August 2024.
Jonathan Alan Lefman, aged 46, faces one count of abusive sexual contact while within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. He was arrested today and is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m.
According to charging documents, on August 30, 2024, Lefman was traveling with his wife and four children aboard a JetBlue flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Boston. During the flight and while waiting to deplane in Boston, Lefman allegedly engaged in abusive sexual contact with the minor victim seated directly in front of him. It is alleged that he intentionally reached between the back and bottom of her seat to touch her buttocks without consent. On one occasion, the minor saw his reflection leaning between seats via the seatback monitor. On another occasion, she captured video evidence using her cell phone camera showing Lefman's fingers protruding through her seat. After leaving the plane, she recorded video footage of him exiting onto the jet bridge.
Following deplaning, an adult female family member of the minor victim reported Lefman's conduct to a JetBlue supervisor and confronted him with video evidence supporting their claim.
The charge against Lefman carries a potential sentence of up to two years imprisonment, one year supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble from Massachusetts State Police announced these developments today. The Boston Police Department provided valuable assistance during this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum is prosecuting this case.
The details presented are allegations at this stage; Jonathan Alan Lefman remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
