An Alaska-based chief warrant officer in the U.S. Army is accused of molesting two teenagers on commercial airline flights, according to federal prosecutors.
James Benecke, 41, was arrested Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on two federal charges of abusive sexual contact filed in Washington state.
In April, Benecke sat next to a 16-year-old girl during an Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Seattle, an indictment filed against him said. During the flight he molested the girl, witnessed by her friend, the indictment said. The girl later reported the assault to an adult she was traveling with and then recalled the events for law enforcement, according to the indictment.
In June, Benecke was seated next to an 18-year-old woman during an Alaska Airlines flight from Texas to Seattle and groped her, according to the indictment. The woman reported the incident to flight attendants, and Benecke was moved to another seat, according to an order for detention filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of Alaska.
Benecke was interviewed by federal investigators when the plane landed, the order said. The victim and someone she was flying with told investigators he appeared to be intoxicated during the flight, according to the order.
“He denied the allegations, explaining that he was a big guy and spreads out on planes and any contact was accidental,” the order said.
In both cases, the teens did not know Benecke prior to sitting next to him on the plane, the order said.
Benecke is assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, according to U.S. Army Alaska spokesman John Pennell. He arrived at JBER in November and had previously served at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state and Camp Humphreys in South Korea, according to Pennell.
The FBI is investigating the case and the Army is cooperating fully, he said.
Benecke flies frequently for work and because his family lives outside Alaska, according to the order. Due to his heavy travel schedule, law enforcement officers say they’re interested in speaking with anyone who may have been seated near Benecke on a flight, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said in a statement. Anyone with information was encouraged to call 1-800-225-5324.
Benecke was indicted on the charges July 5, court records show. He was in custody Thursday morning at the Anchorage Correctional Complex, according to an online database, and is scheduled to appear in Washington court next week.