A deputy US marshal who was on his way to London for extradition of a person was himself taken into custody by British authorities after allegations that he sexually abused a female passenger on Delta Airlines flight, multiple media reports have said.
The federal marshal was travelling along with another deputy marshal from New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport to London when the female passenger made a complaint to the flight crew that he touched her inappropriately, said the reports.
A spokesman for Delta Airlines has confirmed the incident.
“Due to unruly passenger behavior while in flight, Delta Flight 1, JFK to London-Heathrow, was met by local law enforcement upon landing, and Delta is cooperating with their investigation,” said the spokesperson as quoted by NBC News.
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The news network has reported that the two marshals were drinking during the flight. The second official has not been slapped with charges and was being sent back to New York.
It has been reported that both deputy marshals are assigned to the Eastern District of New York. They were travelling to London to bring back a suspect who was wanted in Brooklyn on federal charges.
As per a statement released by London Metropolitan Police, its officers were informed at Heathrow Airport that the marshal had “sexually assaulted other passengers and crew” during the flight. The 39-years-old marshal has been arrested and is in custody.
The US Marshal Service (USMS) has said that it was aware of the incident during which its officer “engaged in serious alleged misconduct while intoxicated on an inbound flight.”
Spokesman for the marshal service said that USMS was co-operating with law enforcement authorities in the UK along with other agencies.
“The US Marshals Service takes seriously any allegations of misconduct by its employees. The alleged actions of the employees do not reflect the professionalism of the thousands of employees of the USMS or its core values,” said the statement from USMS.
(With inputs from agencies)
