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DETROIT – An Indian living in the United States on a work visa was sentenced on Thursday to nine years in prison for sexual assault on a sleeping woman on a night flight to Detroit.
Prabhu Ramamoorthy was sitting between the victim and a headquarters and his wife on a Spirit Airlines flight from Las Vegas last January. The 23-year-old said she opened the pants, unbuttoned her shirt and molested her with her hands.
Prosecutors have sought almost 11 years' imprisonment, but US District Judge Terrence Berg has opted for a nine-year sentence. He said he hoped it would be "serious enough" to deter other people from committing similar crimes.
A jury convicted Ramamoorthy in August. He will be deported to India after serving his sentence
The victim, a model, refused to speak in court. She attended the hearing that took place in the front row with her boyfriend and a support dog.
At trial, she testified that she had woken up during the flight and that she had "seen her hands inside me." She said that she felt "petrified, frozen."
"Everyone has the right to be safe when traveling on an airplane. … We thank the victim in this case for his courage to denounce, "said US lawyer Matthew Schneider.
Ramamoorthy, 35, has lived in the suburbs of Detroit since arriving in the United States on a work visa in 2015. He and his wife returned to Detroit by flying from Las Vegas after a trip to the Grand Canyon.
Speaking through a Tamil interpreter, Ramamoorthy stated that he did not wish to make a statement until he was convicted. The judge noted the absence of remorse but acknowledged that Ramamoorthy had the right to remain silent.
Defense lawyer James Amberg has applied for a prison term of less than 10 years. He added that the conviction would result in "serious and permanent consequences" for Ramamoorthy and his wife on their return to southern India.
"His life is actually over," Amberg told Berg.
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