The Virginia man faces up to 10 years to attack the bedroom passenger on a flight to Dulles – Wusa9.com

Alexandria, Washington – the Stafford man was raised up to 10 years in prison after being sentenced Thursday by a federal jury for repeatedly hitting a sleeping passenger during a joined flight to Washington Dulles airport.

The passengers were astonished by what looked like an unprovoked attack on a deaf, non -verbal man who was asleep when Everett Nelson, 44, began the attack during October.

Sandhaa Gupta told CBS News in October that she was in the ran behind the attack.

“I was actually wondering,” Is this person’s weapon? “Because I didn’t realize that you could only do so much damage with fists,” Gupta said.

The victim obviously needs “months of medical treatment” after the attack, including a broken nose, according to the US lawyer’s office in the Eastern district of Virginia, who pursues the case.

“Nelson struck the victim many times and quickly, using both hands, and landing strong, violent bumps on the cheeks, nose and forehead of the victim,” the US prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.

Even more in the attack was that, according to a FBI report, Nelson had sat more than 20 lines behind the obviously unsuspecting passenger, in the seat 35F.

“Nelson stepped out of the toilet, stopped at a 12F place, and began to physically attack a sleeping male passenger, hitting him repeatedly in the face and head until blood was taken,” the FBI report said of October.

The flight from San Francisco to Dulles was in the middle during the October attack, other passengers had to hold Nelson until the end of the flight, according to the US law firm.

In October, witness Sandhaa Gupta said she was soon as Nelson just gave up as soon as she collided with another passenger and was watched, but was not restrained until the end of the flight to Dulles.

“He is not fighting the man who came to conquer him,” Gupta said.

While Nelson stood up to 10 years on Thursday, the US prosecutor’s office said Nelson was unlikely to receive a maximum sentence.

“The actual sentences of federal crimes are usually less than maximum penalties,” said a spokesman for the US law firm, “Eastern district of Virginia said on Thursday.