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Tampa Man Accused of Groping Airline Passenger

Arrests | Crime | Handcuffs

He told an FBI agent that “the president of the United States says it’s ok to grab women by their private parts,” according to court documents.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – A Tampa man has been accused of groping a woman while they were both passengers on a Southwest Airlines Flight, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

Bruce Michael Alexander, 49, of Tampa., made his initial appearance Monday (Oct. 22) morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on a criminal complaint charging him with abusive sexual contact. Alexander remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for today (Oct. 23).

A conviction on the abusive sexual contact charge carries a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

The FBI arrested Alexander on an abusive sexual contact charge at the Albuquerque International Sunport on Sunday (Oct. 21). According to the criminal complaint in which Alexander is charged, Alexander allegedly had sexual contact with a female passenger while they were on a flight from Houston to Albuquerque. The criminal complaint alleges that the sexual contact consisted of groping the victim, who was seated in the row in front of Alexander, leading the victim to request that flight attendants move her to a different seat.

According to the criminal complaint and affidavit, “After being placed in handcuffs, Alexander asked what the sentence was for the charge he was being arrested for. Later, in the vehicle, Alexander stated that the president of the United States says it’s ok to grab women by their private parts.”

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department.

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