by Alex Lloyd Gross
Vernon Baker, from Linden NJ entered a guilty plea in federal court today to one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft, admitting to harassing a female passenger during a flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, according to federal authorities.
Prosecutors said the incident occurred on October 30, 2025. Baker was seated on the plane when a woman unknown to him took the seat beside him. Shortly after takeoff, authorities said Baker began to harass the woman, making unwanted sexual advances. When she did not respond, he allegedly escalated his behavior by exposing himself and attempting to force her to touch his penis according to the federal complaint.
The victim alerted a flight attendant, who then notified federal authorities.
Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2026. He faces a maximum possible sentence of three years in federal prison.