Last week, an Oregon man named Chad Cameron Camp, 26, was accused of groping an unaccompanied minor on an American Airlines flight. On Monday, a federal judge ordered the man to remain in custody for at least a month.
Camp is charged with one federal count of abusive sexual contact after he allegedly fondled the girl on the flight from Dallas to Portland on Wednesday night, according to reports.
The criminal complaint filed claims, a flight attendant noticed Camp’s hand on a 13-year-old girl’s private area about 30 minutes after takeoff and “a single tear coming down the victim’s cheek” as she sat in her own seat.
Flight attendants separated the victim and the alleged abuser, and informed the captain, who alerted officials. When the plane landed, Camp was met at the gate by FBI and was arrested.
Apparently, Camp assigned seat was next to the girl, however, the flight attendant offered the man an empty seat on the half-filled plane, he declined.
According to the complaint, as he turned the pages of a magazine Camp brushed up against the girl’s arm and shoulder. “Each time he turned the page he used his elbow to brush up against the victim’s shoulder and upper arm area,” the complaint states. “The victim attempted to move away from Camp’s physical contact, and each time she withdrew, he would laugh.
He also offered to share his headphones with the minor, when she declined, he threw the earbuds in her lap and continuously felt on her knee and upper thigh.
American Airlines commented on the incident in a statement saying, “We take these matters very seriously and have cooperated fully and immediately with law enforcement officials in their investigation of the suspect.”
The victim’s family paid an additional $300 roundtrip fee for the girl to fly as an unaccompanied minor, they are preparing to sue the airline.
In U.S District Court in Portland on Thursday, Camp’s counsel entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
