A 17-Year-Old Was on a Plane to Central Florida When the Registered Sex Offender Sitting Next to Her Allegedly Sexually Assaulted Her

This article contains descriptions of sexual assault on a minor; proceed with caution.

A trip to Disney World in Central Florida is meant to be a magical experience for any child; however, that experience became a nightmare for a young woman traveling to the area aboard a Spirit Airlines flight in late July.

According to United States District Court records, John Fowler boarded a Spirit Airlines flight in Indiana bound for Orlando International Airport. Before even boarding the flight, Fowler had already caused problems with the staff.

Before boarding, Fowler got into an argument with the staff over a $100 oversized luggage charge. According to the court records, Fowler was overheard saying he “hoped the flight blew up,” despite that, he was still allowed to board the flight.

Fowler had the aisle seat, while a 17-year-old girl was seated next to him in the middle seat. Once on the plane, the young victim asked the person sitting in the window seat to take a photo of her, and Fowler asked her to send him the picture and continued talking to her.

The victim said that while they were talking, Fowler kept moving his hand into her seating area, and she kept pushing him away. The teenage victim fell asleep, covered by a blanket; however, when she woke up as the plane landed, the teen alleged that Fowler was “touching her vagina” under the blanket.

She screamed for help, and the flight attendants moved her to the front of the plane and Fowler to the rear. After the plane landed, Fowler was detained by Orlando police officers for questioning. He told officers he had only reached over to pick up the young lady’s thermos that had fallen during the landing.

As the OPD began investigating Fowler, it learned that he was a registered sex offender who had been convicted of sexual battery in Indiana in 2023. Fowler is now facing several charges, including abusive sexual contact without permission, which is a felony in Florida, and because the victim was under 18, could put Fowler in prison for the rest of his life.

Fowler is due in court on August 15.