San Diego man pleads guilty to sexually abusing teen girl on cross-country flight

A San Diego man pleaded guilty Monday to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl while the pair were passengers on a cross-country flight.

Ryan Coffey, 33, admitted to giving the teen rum and touching her inner thigh and breasts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said the girl and Coffey did not know one another prior to the Jan. 7, 2023, American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to San Diego.

San Diego U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said in a statement, "Thanks to the courage of a brave girl who reported what happened in the dark on a plane, and swift engagement from law enforcement, this defendant was brought to justice."

Coffey is slated for sentencing in November following his plea to abusive sexual contact of a minor on an aircraft, which carries a maximum possible penalty of two years in prison.