Woman Sexually Assaulted On Plane By Union County Man

LINDEN, NJ — A 41-year-old man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to sexual assault of a woman who was seated next to him on a flight in 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.

Vernon Baker, of Linden, was charged by indictment in January with one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft.

On Oct. 30, 2024, Baker was on a commercial flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia when he made advances to a woman seated next to him.

After she refused his advances, he exposed himself and tried to get her to touch him. Baker then proceeded to grab her breast over her clothes and untied her pants, authorities said.

The woman rushed to the back of the cabin and reported the assault to flight attendants.

Baker is scheduled for sentencing on March 3, 2026. He faces a maximum of three years in jail, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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