A California man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for assaulting a 13-year-old on an overnight flight. According to court documents, the man, identified as Brian Patrick Durning, allegedly told the young girl, “You are never going to see your family again.”
In an official announcement on Wednesday, Durning was convicted by a jury in June of assault of a minor on an aircraft and two counts of simple assault. However, he was acquitted of a more serious charge of abusive sexual contact.
The 52-year-old man, who resides in Altadena, will serve five years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The incident occurred on a red-eye Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Orlando in June of last year. According to the victim, Durning began touching her after the cabin lights were dimmed and most passengers had fallen asleep.
He touched her hair and neck before moving his hand along her inner thigh and groin area, referring to her as “honey-boo.”
The young girl, who was seated two rows away from her family, experienced a panic attack and was unable to speak or move during the assault. Durning allegedly whispered to her, “You are never going to see your family again,” and claimed he was taking her to Texas.
The assault only came to an end when a female passenger woke up and witnessed Durning removing his hand from the girl’s inner thigh. The woman reported the incident to a flight attendant and the child’s mother, who observed that Durning had his pants unzipped and accused him of trying to touch her breast during the confrontation.
Durning, who has a history of nonviolent alcohol-related arrests, denied any sexual misconduct and blamed the victim’s anxiety and preexisting anxiety disorder for blowing the situation out of proportion.
The child’s mother testified that her daughter continues to suffer from significant mental and emotional trauma and sees a therapist for treatment.
If you or someone you know needs help, please visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website. For substance use disorder or mental health issues, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) in the U.S.
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