United States Attorney's Office for the District of Rhode Island
10/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2026 14:35
Newport Man Pleads Guilty to Simple Assault of a Minor During Flight from Florida to Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE - A Newport man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Rhode Island to one count of simple assault for inappropriate conduct involving a 16-year-old victim during a flight from Tampa, Florida, to Providence, Rhode Island, on November 17, 2025.
James F. Brugman, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Melissa R. DuBose to simple assault involving the minor victim. Brugman was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2027. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda and Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) through its participation in the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force.
United States Attorney's Office for the District of Rhode Island published this content on October 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 21, 2026 at 20:35 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]