Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty To Sexual Assault Of Fellow Passenger Aboard International Flight To San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO - Rajesh Kumar Kapoor, 57, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2024, to sexual assault of another passenger aboard an aircraft bound for San Francisco.

Defendant was indicted on Mar. 13, 2024. The indictment alleged that, while on a flight from the Republic of Korea to San Francisco on Jan. 16, 2024, Kapoor touched the victim's breasts and inner thigh without permission.

In connection with pleading guilty, Kapoor admitted that he intentionally touched the victim's inner thigh without the victim's permission and with the intent to harass her. Kapoor pleaded guilty, with no plea agreement from the government, to abusive sexual contact in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2244(b).

"Sexual assault has no place in our society, not on the ground and not in the skies. Airline passengers should not have to fear sexual assault while traveling. These assaults are federal crimes, and I urge the public to report them to law enforcement so they can be investigated and prosecuted," said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey.

"Sexual misconduct on an aircraft is a serious violation of federal law and public trust," said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. "Everyone has the right to feel safe while traveling. The FBI will continue working with our partners to ensure justice for victims of such outrageous criminal behavior."

Kapoor's sentencing is scheduled for Mar. 27, 2025, before the Honorable Edward M. Chen, Senior U.S. District Judge. He faces a statutory maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Chou and Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas M. Parker are prosecuting this case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Marina Ponomarchuk, Andy Ding, and Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the San Francisco Police Department Airport Bureau.