INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Prabhu Ramamoorthy initially told investigators that he was in a deep sleep
(File)Washington: A 35-year-old Indian IT manager has been convicted of sexually assaulting a sleeping woman aboard a Detroit-bound flight
in the US, media reports said today.Prabhu Ramamoorthy, who worked for an IT company for over two years, will be sentenced on December 12 by
US District Judge Terrence Berg, The Detroit News reported.Prabhu Ramamoorthy faces up to life in prison
If released, he will be deported to India.The verdict came seven months after he assaulted the 22-year-old woman during a Spirit Airlines
flight from Las Vegas while his wife sat in the next seat, the report said.A federal jury in Michigan's largest city Detroit convicted
Ramamoorthy, who lived in Rochester Hills city, of sexually assaulting the woman.Following a five-day trial, the jury deliberated for less
than four hours before convicting Prabhu Ramamoorthy, it said."We will not tolerate the behaviour of anyone who takes advantage of victims
who are in a vulnerable position, and we are glad the jury agreed," US Attorney Matthew Schneider said in a statement."We appreciate the
victim in this case for her courage to speak out," Mr Schneider said.The woman said she was sitting in a window seat next to Prabhu
Ramamoorthy, whose wife was in the aisle seat
The woman said that she fell asleep and woke up to discover a hand in her pants and noticed that her pants were unbuttoned and her shirt
When she woke up, the man stopped, and the woman alerted a flight attendant, the report said.Prabhu Ramamoorthy initially told investigators
that he was in a deep sleep and did not do anything, it said.Later, he told an FBI agent he "might have" undone the woman's bra and cupped
her breast, according to court records, the report added.
