A deputy U.S. marshal was arrested in the U.K. this week after allegedly sexually abusing a woman on board a flight from New York to London, authorities say.
The unnamed federal agent was one of two deputies who had traveled to the British capital in order to bring a person suspected of a crime back to the U.S., sources told NBC New York. Both marshals had allegedly been drinking, with a woman reportedly complaining to flight crew that she had been inappropriately touched at some point during the flight.
“Due to unruly passenger behavior while in flight, Delta Flight 1, JFK to London-Heathrow was met by local law enforcement upon landing and Delta is cooperating with their investigation,” a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said, confirming some type of incident had taken place.
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A law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the second deputy was briefly detained before being sent back to the U.S. The other remains in custody in the U.K. The news wire said the flight was on Tuesday.
London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement to NBC that its officers were informed the marshal “sexually assaulted other passengers and crew” during the flight and that the 39-year-old was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service said it was aware the deputy “exhibited inappropriate behavior while intoxicated on an inbound flight” and said the agency was cooperating with British authorities over the alleged incident.
“The U.S. Marshals Service takes seriously any allegations of misconduct by its employees,” the spokesperson said. “The alleged actions of the employees do not reflect the professionalism of the thousands of employees of the USMS or its core values.”
