Washington man sentenced for interfering with flight crew on Anchorage flight

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Washington man was sentenced on Dec. 28, 2023, to one year home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release, for interfering with a flight crew in April 2023.

According to court documents, Adam Seymour, 38, of Seattle, Washington, harassed and attempted to grope a female passenger seated next to him, threatened to “kill” a second passenger and assaulted a third while aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 49 inbound to Anchorage from Seattle. In the course of events Seymour, told passengers the plane was going to crash and everyone would die.

With the assistance of two off-duty police officers, flight crew removed Seymour from his seat and restrained him in the jump seat at the front of the airplane. Seymour broke free from his restraints and was restrained a second time. The off-duty police officers remained with Seymour at the front of the aircraft for the remainder of the flight.

Following a recommendation for a sentence of 12 months incarceration, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska imposed 12 months of home confinement and included a requirement to engage in community service and a two-year term of supervision. During the hearing, the Court commented regarding the increase in misconduct aboard aircraft in recent years and recognized that air travel is a necessity for Alaskans and that all passengers should be able to travel free from harassment.

“For some Alaskans, air travel is the only way to travel from their home to important resources like medical appointments, making it an essential mode of transportation within the state. All Alaskans should feel safe while they travel on a plane,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Engaging in violent, harassing or obscene behavior while on an aircraft is a federal crime and can result in serious penalties. Potential perpetrators should think twice before engaging in similar conduct aboard an aircraft because we will prosecute these crimes.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.

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