BOZEMAN — A New Jersey man who admitted in March to inappropriately touching a woman on a plane headed to Bozeman in September 2023 was sentenced on July 31, 2024, as announced by U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
After pleading guilty in March, 31-year-old Piyush Mathew from Robbinsville Township, New Jersey received a five-year probation sentence, including six months of home confinement. He is also required to register as a sex offender and pay $5,100 in special assessments.
Court documents stated 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, seated in the aisle, allegedly raised the armrest between them before take-off and proceeded to touch the woman inappropriately throughout the flight.
Mathew pretended to be asleep while touching the victim on her thighs, fingers, arms, stomach, and breasts multiple times. The victim tried to move away at one point, but Mathew prevented her from doing so by placing his hands on her side.
Feeling afraid and unable to report the incident to the flight crew, the victim asked a male passenger to act as her husband’s friend and accompany her off the plane. The passenger witnessed Mathew’s inappropriate behavior towards the victim during the flight.
Authorities approached Mathew in New Jersey later, where he asked if the victim had complained about his actions. The case was handled by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen and investigated by the FBI, Gallatin Airport Authority, and Bozeman Airport Police.
