The young man who allegedly sexually and physically assaulted flight attendants during a Frontier Airlines flight last year has been sentenced to prison by a federal judge.
Maxwell Berry, of Norwalk, Ohio, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault in February. At the time, Berry’s lawyers asked the judge for no jail time by stating, “Max Berry is a good man who committed a bad act, that was not planned, it was committed in an unsophisticated manner, and it is an aberration.”
Berry, 23, was sentenced to 60 days in prison and one year of supervised release on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Scola Jr. in a federal court in Miami, Florida. Berry was also ordered by the court to pay a $2,500 fine and more than $1,500 in restitution.
Berry’s lawyer – Jason Kreiss – claimed that the incident was not representative of his client.
“He’s a really good kid from a great family, who was punished for his worst day,” Kreiss told NBC News in a statement. “Although we don’t believe 60 days was necessary based on Max’s significant self-reform and other mitigating factors, we respect the judgment of the court.”
The judge ruled that Berry must report to federal prison by Aug. 1 – almost exactly one year from his shocking behavior during a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami.
Berry consumed two alcoholic drinks during the flight and ordered a third adult beverage, according to police.
TheBlaze previously reported that Berry brushed an empty cup against the backside of a female flight attendant. The woman reportedly instructed the unruly passenger not to touch her.
Berry then spilled a drink on his shirt and went to the bathroom to clean up, according to the police report. He emerged from the airliner bathroom shirtless, which prompted a flight attendant to help him retrieve a new shirt from his carry-on bag.
He then reportedly walked around the commercial airplane mid-flight for 15 minutes.
People reported, “During his time roaming the plane, he reportedly groped another female flight attendant’s breasts, the police report noted. He later went behind the two female airline employees ‘and put his arms around both of them and groped their breasts again.'”
A male flight attendant intervened, but Berry punched him in the face, according to the police report. Passengers helped the flight crew restrain Berry, and then bound him to a seat by using a seatbelt extender and tape. Berry was taped to the airline seat for the remainder of the flight. He was taken into custody at Miami International Airport following the incident.
Berry’s now-infamous unruly behavior was exposed in a viral video that has over 13 million views.
Jordan Galarza – the flight attendant who was reportedly punched by Berry – told WPLG on Tuesday, “My number role on any aircraft is to protect the passengers, including Maxwell Berry, who we did get to Miami safely that day.”
Galarza defended the decision to tape Berry to the seat, “You can say it looked a bit barbaric, but it worked perfectly and no one got hurt because of how we did what we did.”
Galarza said Berry’s 60-day prison sentence isn’t enough of a punishment.
“He made an enemy of everyone on that flight. The people on that aircraft saw justice happen – more than what we saw today,” Galarza said after Berry was sentenced.
Flight attendant speaks out after man duct taped to seat is sentenced www.youtube.com