Morris County man pleads guilty to in-flight sexual assault on flight from Montana to Texas
MISSOULA, MT — A Morris County man has pleaded guilty to federal charges of abusive sexual contact following allegations that he assaulted a woman during a flight from Bozeman, Montana, to Dallas, Texas, earlier this year, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced.
Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 37, of Lake Hiawatha, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to one count of abusive sexual contact within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. The charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto accepted the plea. Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen. Shukla remains detained pending further proceedings.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on January 26, aboard an American Airlines flight. Shukla was seated next to Jane Doe and her daughter. During the flight, Shukla allegedly began rubbing Doe’s leg under the pretense of sleep and later continued to make inappropriate contact, including touching her inner thigh, lower back, and buttocks, despite being told to stop.
Doe and her daughter initially got up to go to the restroom in an effort to deescalate the situation. Shukla later apologized and attempted to speak to Doe’s daughter, which she rebuffed. A witness seated behind the parties confirmed seeing Shukla touch the woman throughout the flight.
The case was investigated by federal authorities and prosecuted as part of the Justice Department’s commitment to enforcing laws protecting victims of sexual assault, including those occurring during air travel.
