Mercer Island man sentenced to 10 years for sexual abuse of teen on Seattle-bound flight

Munir Walji, a 72-year-old man from Mercer Island, Washington, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl during a Delta flight from Atlanta to Seattle in 2021. The victim, who was asleep, awoke to find Walji inappropriately touching her before he unbuckled her seatbelt and reached into her waistband. The flight crew responded promptly after the victim's mother alerted them, leading to Walji's arrest upon landing. Judge Tana Lin acknowledged Walji's severe health conditions, including blood cancer, which influenced the decision to impose home incarceration for the first two years of his sentence. U.

S. Attorney Gorman described Walji's actions as shocking and traumatic for the victim and her family. Walji's sentence includes 10 years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine, along with mandatory registration as a sex offender. This case reflects growing concerns about sexual assaults on flights and the need for heightened awareness and safety measures. Similar incidents have raised alarms about the safety of minors in confined spaces like airplanes.