William R. McKelvy, a 65-year-old resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was found guilty of abusive sexual contact after a jury trial. The conviction was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Nancy E. Larson.
The incident occurred on April 25, 2023, during a Southwest Airlines flight from Tulsa to Dallas. Evidence presented at the trial revealed that McKelvy groped a female passenger seated next to him on four separate occasions. Initially, the victim thought the contact might have been accidental or due to fear of flying. However, after repeated incidents and an eventual outburst from the victim demanding he stop, fellow passengers intervened.
Witnesses testified about the disturbance which led to McKelvy being moved to another seat by a flight attendant who also arranged for police intervention upon landing at Love Field Airport in Dallas. When questioned by officers post-flight, McKelvy admitted vaping but minimized his actions as mere “flirting.”
During his testimony, McKelvy claimed he could not recall the events due to alcohol and marijuana consumption before boarding. Despite this defense, the jury reached a guilty verdict in less than half an hour.
Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson emphasized that no one should experience such attacks on an aircraft and praised those who responded swiftly to assist the victim and ensure justice is served.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock reiterated that sexual assault aboard an aircraft is a federal crime investigated by the FBI and commended those involved in detaining McKelvy.
McKelvy’s sentencing is set for September 8, 2025, before United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey. He faces up to three years in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dallas Police Department with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Brasher and Madeleine Case.
