Man Found Guilty Of Fondling Airline Passenger During Flight

DENVER -- A 29-year-old Oregon man was convicted Tuesday of fondling a female passenger on a United Airlines flight from Miami to Denver last year.

After a one-day trial, Alexander Vladimirovich Kolotov, of Portland, was found guilty of abusive sexual contact and simple assault. Kolotov had told investigators that he covered up with a blanket during the flight and fell asleep. He said he was awaked by her screams and didn't know what had happened.

However, the judge didn't believe him.

According to the fact presented at trial, a 27-year-old woman said that on Oct. 14, 2003 she fell asleep on the flight and awoke to find the man seated next to her with his hands between her legs.

Kolotov had told another passenger that he wanted to switch seats in order to sit next to his girlfriend, even though he and the woman had never met or talked. Even though the aisle seat was open, Kolotov raised the arm rest and sat in the middle seat next to the victim. During the flight he made sexual contact and assaulted the woman while she was sleeping, prosecutors said.

Kolotov is free on bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of up to one year in federal prison.