Man Banned From Airline After Masterbating On Plane
A vulgar passenger aboard a Southwest Airlines flight is banned from the airline for life after authorities say he pleasured himself four times while exposing his genitals in front of other passengers during a trip from Washington to Arizona. The man told authorities that he thought it was “kind of kinky” and that a woman next to him did not appear to be uncomfortable with it, according to court papers and officials.
Antonio Sherrodd McGarity is accused of committing “lewd, indecent or obscene acts” while aboard the nearly three-hour flight on Saturday, according to a federal criminal complaint. According to court documents, McGarity was sitting in seat 11F of Southwest Airlines Flight 3814 from Seattle, Washington, to Phoenix, Arizona, when he “exposed his penis and masturbated while in view of the female passenger sitting next to him.”
His attorney, federal public defender Madeline Mayer, said she looks forward to McGarity’s day in court.
“Due process is the cornerstone of our legal system,” she wrote in an email Tuesday. “This process ensures that Mr. McGarity’s constitutional rights are protected.”
Shortly after takeoff, McGarity lowered his pants and shorts and began pleasuring himself with his genitalia exposed. The woman seated in seat 11E took photographic evidence of his lewd acts. She complained to the flight crew and was ultimately moved to a different seat on the plane.
She later told Phoenix Police Department that McGarity masturbated “on four separate occasions, using both his left and right hands,” court papers state.
A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said on Tuesday that crew members stepped in as soon as they were aware of what was happening, and the captain called for law enforcement to meet the plane upon its arrival.
“We immediately placed the passenger who exhibited the lewd behavior on our No-Fly List, resulting in a lifetime ban from traveling on Southwest Airlines,” the spokesperson wrote.
The FBI later interviewed McGarity, and he confessed to the vulgar behavior and told them that he had reached orgasm. McGarity added that he knew the woman was aware of what he was doing and that she could see his genitals, he also said he knew she photographed his acts, the complaint states.
“McGarity advised he asked the female witness if she minded if he masturbates. According to McGarity, the female witness put her hands in the air and said, ‘it really doesn’t matter,'” the document further states. “He said he thought it was kind of kinky.”
He claimed that he did not think the woman was uncomfortable with the acts.