Viral passenger duct-taped for groping airline crew jailed

2022-05-21 21:06:43 By : Ms. Dolly Lin

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

A Frontier Airlines passenger who went viral after he was duct-taped to his seat for allegedly groping two flight attendants and assaulting another has been sentenced to 60 days in the slammer.

Maxwell Berry pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction for his antics aboard the flight from Philadelphia to Miami in August, ABC News reported.

The 23-year-old, who had faced a year-and-a-half behind bars and a $15,000 fine, also was sentenced to one year of supervised release. He must surrender by Aug. 1.

Cellphone footage showed the frisky flier being duct-taped to the back of a seat before he was arrested by waiting cops on three counts of battery.

The video showed the Norfolk, Ohio, man scuffling with a male flight attendant and yelling profanities while sitting in a window seat.

An arrest report said he ordered two drinks and then asked for another before brushing his empty cup against the backside of a female flight attendant, who told him, “Don’t touch me.”

Berry proceeded to spill his new drink on his shirt, prompting him to go to the bathroom and come out “shirtless,” according to the report. He then walked around the cabin and groped the chest of two flight attendants.

“He came from behind and put his arm around both of them and groped their breasts again,” the arrest report said.

Berry later punched a male flight attendant who was asked to watch him following the in-flight chaos, police said.

Two of his victims attended Tuesday’s sentencing — Jordan Galarza, whom Berry struck, and Tymerah Burgess, who was groped, WPLG reported. “My number one role on any aircraft is to protect the passengers, including Maxwell Berry, who we did get to Miami safely that day,” Galarza reportedly said, adding that the tape used to restrain the passenger may have seemed “a bit barbaric, but it worked perfectly and no one got hurt because of how we did what we did.” Galarza and Burgess gave impact statements about their ordeal and told WPLG they feel the 60-day sentence is not enough time. “He made an enemy of everyone on that flight,” Galarza said. “The people on that aircraft saw justice happen — more than what we saw today. I think it’s a disgusting miscarriage of justice, in my opinion.”

Berry’s parents told the court that he has always been a star student, athlete and leader — but acknowledged that it’s no excuse for his actions.

His attorney, Jason Kreiss, also read from letters that were sent to the court on his client’s behalf.

“Mr. Berry is looking forward to putting this incident behind him,” Kreiss later told WPLG. “We presented significant mitigation to the court, but respect the court’s judgment in this case.”

Berry also expressed remorse, saying he was embarrassed by his actions.

Judge Robert Scola Jr. told him there’s “no delete button” and that people cannot think they’re able to go on a plane and act this way, WPLG reported.