BOZEMAN — A New Jersey man who admitted to repeatedly touching a woman on a flight bound for Bozeman in September 2023 was sentenced on July 31, 2024, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
After pleading guilty in March, 31-year-old Piyush Mathew of Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, was sentenced to five years of probation with six months of home confinement. He also has to register as a sex offender and pay $5,100 in special assessments.
Court documents alleged that Mathew and the victim were seated next to each other on a flight from Newark, New Jersey to Bozeman on Sept. 7, 2023. Mathew, in the aisle seat, lifted the armrest between them before takeoff and proceeded to assault the victim in various ways during the flight.
Mathew pretended to be asleep while touching the victim on her thighs, fingers, arms, stomach, and breasts. The victim tried to lean forward at one point, but Mathew blocked her with his hands. She planned to report him to the flight crew upon landing in Bozeman.
As they were deboarding, Mathew stood closely behind the victim, preventing her from seeking help. She asked a male passenger to act as her husband’s friend and stay with her. This passenger witnessed Mathew’s inappropriate behavior during the flight.
When law enforcement questioned Mathew in New Jersey, he asked if the victim had complained about his actions. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen oversaw Mathew’s sentencing, with the case being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigated by the FBI, Gallatin Airport Authority, and Bozeman Airport Police.
