Disruptive passenger allegedly grabs passenger 'by the crotch,' causing flight to divert

TULSA, Okla. (KFOR) -- A disruptive passenger who forced an American Airlines flight to divert to Tulsa has now been charged.

Officials say American Airlines flight 807 made an unexpected stop in Tulsa on Wednesday morning due to an incident involving a passenger.

Investigators allege that a female victim alerted flight attendants to an alleged assault that had occurred involving a male passenger.

The alleged victim was seated between Cholewinski-Boy and her daughter. Shortly after takeoff, he began touching the woman's arm and she repeatedly pushed his hands away, according to according to a federal criminal complaint filed Friday.

Cholewinski-Boy then “forcibly grabbed her by the crotch,” the complaint said. The woman again pushed his hand away and demanded that he stop. The woman notified the flight crew, who moved mother and daughter to another part of the aircraft.

Once the flight landed in Tulsa, police removed James Cholewinski-Boy and took him into custody for public intoxication.

On Friday, the United States Attorneys Office of the Northern District of Oklahoma announced that Cholewinski-Boy was charged with criminal sexual misconduct. They say the charge stems from him "engaging in unwanted sexual contact."