A federal jury in Salt Lake City has found a Texas man guilty of sexually assaulting a female passenger on a flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City. The incident occurred on March 1, 2022, when Robert Sutherland MacLean, also known as “Bobby,” allegedly made inappropriate statements and assaulted the woman multiple times during the flight.
MacLean, 59, from Frisco, Texas, was charged with abusive sexual contact within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States on April 18, 2023. Prosecuting attorney Bryan N. Reeves stated during the trial that MacLean “unlawfully and illegally imposed his will upon another person—sexually assaulting her over and over again on that late night flight.”
The sentencing hearing for MacLean is set for October 1, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti announced the verdict. The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office led the investigation with assistance from the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Kennedy and Bryan N. Reeves are prosecuting the case.
