Man, 66, Busted For In-Flight Grope Of Girl

MARCH 27--A 66-year-old California man is jailed on federal charges after he allegedly sexually groped and propositioned a 15-year-old girl seated next to him on a Delta Air Lines flight Tuesday afternoon, The Smoking Gun has learned.

According to an FBI affidavit, Hans Loudermilk and the victim were traveling from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, Utah, a 90-minute flight. After boarding the plane, Loudermilk stood in the aisle and asked the girl if she would move to the middle seat in their row. The teen, identified as “KD” in the affidavit, complied with Loudermilk’s request, reported FBI Agent Daniel Horan.

Following departure, the pair engaged in conversation that “started off just social, however turned sexual in nature,” Horan stated.

About 25 minutes before landing, Loudermilk (seen at right) allegedly told “KD” that he could “teach her things sexually that boys her age could not.” He added that she “should drive with him and that in the State of Utah he could marry her at her current age.”

As they spoke, Loudermilk moved closer to the girl and started touching her chin. “This touching progressed to rubbing KD’s leg and upper thigh,” reported Moran, who added that the girl “got extremely nervous and wanted this to end.”

Upon arrival in Salt Lake City, the girl, who apparently was traveling alone, quickly left the plane and contacted a Transportation Security Administration officer and told him about “the sexual assault of which she was just victim,” according to the court filing.

When Loudermilk spotted the girl speaking with the TSA agent, he entered an airport gift shop and removed the “tan buttoned up style shirt” he wore during the flight. He replaced the shirt with “a black jacket as to possibly avoid detection by law enforcement,” Moran noted.

Loudermilk was subsequently arrested and charged with two felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor on an aircraft. During a hearing today in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Loudermilk was ordered held without bail in advance of an April 10 preliminary hearing.

Loudermilk has previously worked as a prop maker/carpenter on several Hollywood movies. On the morning of his arrest, Loudermilk posted a Facebook message about his impending trip: “It's Planes, Trains and Automobiles folks. In a lifetime of traveling I don't think I've ever covered as much ground of such diversity and using as many modes of transport as what I'm attempting today. Provided I make it to the church on time, of course. I'll keep you posted.” The page also shows that he checked in at some point from the Delta Sky Club at LAX. (4 pages)