John Daniel Fowler, a 65-year-old from Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced on Mar. 30 to six years in federal prison for abusive sexual contact on an aircraft. U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron also ordered Fowler to serve 15 years of supervised release after his prison term. The sentencing follows Fowler’s conviction by a federal jury on January 13, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
The case centers around an incident during a flight from Indianapolis to Orlando, where Fowler was seated next to a minor. During the flight, he asked the minor for her cellphone photo and provided his number before repeatedly touching her over the armrest despite her attempts to push him away. After the minor fell asleep, Fowler placed his hand under her blanket and touched her genitalia; she awoke as the plane landed while he was still groping her and immediately reported the conduct to crew members who separated them and notified law enforcement.
Fowler is a registered sex offender with previous convictions in Indiana for sexual battery and criminal confinement involving an adult victim in 2017. That victim testified at this trial about similar conduct by Fowler—falling asleep and waking up as he licked her genitalia without consent—to establish a pattern of behavior.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Orlando Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Cruz and Kaley Austin-Aronson prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.
