A federal jury in Boston has convicted a Newton man of abusive sexual contact for repeatedly touching a 17-year-old girl through the gap in her seat on a JetBlue flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Boston in August 2024. Jonathan Alan Lefman, 48, was found guilty after a three-day trial of one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office announced on Thursday, October 22, 2026. CBS Boston, NBC10 Boston and Boston 25 News reported the verdict.
Lefman faces up to two years in prison. CBS Boston reported that he is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2027.
What the jury heard
According to prosecutors, as reported by Boston 25, CBS and NBC10:
- The flight. Lefman was on the August 30, 2024 flight with his wife and four children, who were seated elsewhere on the plane, CBS and Boston 25 reported.
- The contact. Several times during the flight, and while the plane was on the ground waiting for passengers to get off in Boston, he reached into the space between the back and bottom of the seat in front of him and touched the girl’s buttocks without her permission, Boston 25 reported.
- The video. At least once, the girl saw Lefman’s reflection on the screen in front of her as he leaned between the seats. The last time, she used her phone to record his fingers coming through the seat, and she recorded him again as he got off the plane, according to Boston 25.
- The report. After the plane landed, a family member who had been sitting in a different row reported him to a JetBlue supervisor and confronted him with the video.
According to court documents, Lefman at first “claimed he had been stretching and apologized,” CBS reported. In a later interview with the FBI and State Police, he said he did not recall reaching under his seat, NBC10 reported. Asked whether he stuck his fingers between the seats, he said, “No. Not that I can recall.” Asked whether the video showed his fingers, he said, “I don’t know,” according to NBC10.
“The defendant repeatedly sexually abused a minor who was simply trying to travel safely aboard a commercial flight,” Foley said in a statement. “No one should have to fear being sexually assaulted, whether in the air or on the ground.”
Why this was a federal case
A crime on board a commercial flight is usually a federal matter. Under 49 U.S.C. § 46506, a person on an aircraft in the “special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States” who commits an act that would violate the federal sexual abuse statutes, chapter 109A of title 18, if committed in federal territory, can be prosecuted under those statutes. Two details from the statute explain why it reached the whole incident:
- Which planes. Under 49 U.S.C. § 46501, special aircraft jurisdiction includes a civil aircraft of the United States while it is in flight.
- When a plane is “in flight.” The same section defines that as the period “from the moment all external doors are closed following boarding” through “the moment when one external door is opened to allow passengers to leave.” Contact while the plane sat on the ground waiting to deplane was still in flight for this purpose.
The charge and the penalty
Lefman was convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 2244(b), which applies to anyone who “knowingly engages in sexual contact with another person without that other person’s permission.” The maximum is two years in prison and a fine. Under 18 U.S.C. § 2246(3), “sexual contact” means the intentional touching, “either directly or through the clothing,” of certain intimate areas, including the buttocks, with intent to abuse, humiliate, harass or degrade, or to arouse or gratify sexual desire. CBS reported that he also faces five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The statutory maximum is a ceiling. The judge will set the sentence after considering the federal sentencing guidelines and the factors in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Lefman may appeal.
If it happens to you on a flight
- Tell a flight attendant right away. Crews can move passengers and can ask law enforcement to meet the plane at the gate.
- If you can safely do so, record what you see, as the girl in this case did.
- Report it to the FBI, which investigates crimes aboard aircraft. You can report after landing, as the family did here.
Frequently asked questions
What was Jonathan Lefman convicted of?
One count of abusive sexual contact while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, for repeatedly touching a 17-year-old girl through her seat on an August 30, 2024 JetBlue flight from San Juan to Boston. A federal jury convicted him after a three-day trial.
What is the sentence for abusive sexual contact on a plane?
For sexual contact without permission under 18 U.S.C. § 2244(b), the maximum is two years in prison and a fine. Lefman also faces supervised release. He is scheduled to be sentenced January 12, 2027.
Is groping on a plane a federal crime?
Yes. Under 49 U.S.C. § 46506, federal sexual abuse laws apply on aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, which runs from when the doors close after boarding until a door opens to let passengers off.
Sources: CBS Boston, NBC10 Boston and Boston 25 News, October 22, 2026, reporting the U.S. Attorney’s announcement and court documents. 18 U.S.C. §§ 2244 and 2246 and 49 U.S.C. §§ 46501 and 46506 read at law.cornell.edu. We have not named the girl or her family member. General information, not legal advice.