An Indian national, Krishna Kunapuli, has been sentenced following his guilty plea to charges of lewd conduct on an aircraft. The incident occurred on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Boston, where Kunapuli was observed engaging in inappropriate behavior by two passengers.
Kunapuli, aged 39, admitted guilt on October 24, 2024, to committing lewd acts on the flight. U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy sentenced him to two years of probation and imposed a $5,000 fine. Additionally, Kunapuli is required to delete photographs taken of a female passenger during the flight in the presence of law enforcement and is prohibited from contacting her.
Charging documents reveal that Kunapuli made unsolicited sexual advances toward a female passenger by touching her hair and photographing her without consent. A crew member intervened after these actions were noticed.
Later during the journey, two male passengers witnessed Kunapuli masturbating under a blanket with his genitals exposed at times. One passenger reported this behavior to a flight attendant who then informed law enforcement authorities.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum handled the prosecution for this case.
