San Diego man sentenced to two years for sexually abusing teenager aboard flight

Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times on Nov 6, 2024

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LOS ANGELES — San Diego resident Ryan Coffey was on a cross-country flight in January 2023 when he offered alcohol to a 14-year-old sitting next to him, according to court records.

He didn't know the girl, who was 17 years his junior, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

That didn't prevent Coffey, however, from sexually molesting her on the five-hour-plus American Airlines evening flight from Charlotte, N.C., to San Diego.

Now a federal judge has sentenced Coffey to prison for his actions.

The now 33-year-old was sentenced Monday to two years in prison and 10 years of supervised release afterward and saddled with just under $11,000 in fines and restitution. Coffey had pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact in August.

A call to his attorney was not immediately answered.

Coffey admitted in court that he supplied the girl with rum and touched her inner thigh and breasts, according to the Department of Justice.

A fellow passenger said that she heard the minor tell Coffey that she was afraid of flying, according to a sentencing memo. That's when he took out a bottle of alcohol from his bag and gave it to her to relax, according to the witness statement in the memo.

"Then he patted her on the leg and gave her his hand to hold," the memo noted. "He even held her by the waist while watching a movie during the flight."

Ultimately, the victim claimed that Coffey also allegedly forced his fingers inside her vagina and forced her to perform oral sex.

The sentencing memo also noted that she was traveling on the flight with a brother, according to the sentencing. He, however, was seated an undisclosed number of rows ahead of her; the 14-year-old was seated between two strangers.

"Ryan Coffey's conduct was abhorrent," acting FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland said in a statement in August. "The FBI, along with our dedicated law enforcement partners, remain committed to using all tools available to follow the evidence and bring those who commit crimes against children to justice."