A former California Highway Patrol captain, Dennis Wally Woodbury, was indicted for abusive sexual contact after allegedly slapping a male flight attendant’s buttocks during a JetBlue flight on April 13. Woodbury, 49, had been drinking heavily and engaged in inappropriate behavior, including exposing himself. He was arrested upon landing in Los Angeles and is free on $50,000 bond, with an arraignment scheduled for May 12. This incident comes amid increasing reports of in-flight sexual assaults, particularly on long, overnight flights, as highlighted by the FBI, which investigated 96 cases in 2023 alone.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former captain of the California Highway Patrol has been indicted by a federal grand jury following accusations of slapping a male flight attendant’s buttocks during a flight from the East Coast to Los Angeles, according to federal prosecutors.
This incident marks the second occurrence in recent weeks of sexual abuse allegations aboard flights. The FBI has noted that this issue is worsening, particularly during long, overnight journeys.
Dennis Wally Woodbury, 49, from Azusa, California, was indicted on Thursday on one count of abusive sexual contact. Prosecutors stated that Woodbury, who had been drinking heavily, slapped the flight attendant while he was collecting meal trays during an April 13 JetBlue Airways flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Los Angeles International Airport.
According to prosecutors, Woodbury began displaying inappropriate behavior shortly after boarding. Before the plane departed the gate, he showed another male flight attendant a photo of a dog that featured pornographic images in the background and suggested he should join him on a cruise. Later, he went to the front galley of the plane and pulled down his pants, exposing his genitals to the flight attendant, as detailed in court documents.
Shortly thereafter, Woodbury requested wine from the same flight attendant, and when informed that he could only have a nonalcoholic beverage, he again pulled down his pants and exposed himself, prosecutors reported.
Woodbury was arrested after the plane arrived in Los Angeles and made his initial federal court appearance last month. He has been released on a $50,000 bond and is set to be arraigned on May 12.
A phone number associated with Woodbury has been disconnected, and his attorney did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.
Earlier this week, lawyers representing a woman from Northern California filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging she was sexually assaulted during an overnight flight from San Francisco to Dallas in 2024. The lawsuit claims the man involved was charged in March by federal authorities for sexually assaulting another female passenger in 2023, with American Airlines aware of that prior case. Additionally, multiple complaints against the individual are mentioned in the lawsuit.
In 2023, the FBI investigated 96 cases of alleged sexual assaults on U.S. flights, including instances of unwanted touching. These assaults typically occur on long-haul flights when the cabin lights are dimmed. Victims often occupy middle or window seats, sleeping under a blanket or jacket, and report waking up to find their seatmate’s hands inside their clothing.
It is crucial that such crimes be reported immediately, as investigations on aircraft become more complex if days or even hours pass, according to the agency.