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Seattle, WA. — A 29-year-old man from Deering, Alaska, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for abusive sexual contact committed aboard a commercial aircraft, federal officials announced.
Trayton C. Ballot was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle after a jury convicted him on September 10, 2025, following a two-day trial. Ballot was arrested on January 15, 2025, when the Alaska Airlines flight he was traveling on landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun described the offense as “a serious and scary crime with lasting consequences for the victim.”
According to court records, the 17-year-old victim was traveling overnight from Anchorage to Seattle with her mother and a friend. Ballot was seated next to the victim and repeatedly placed his hand on her inner thigh while she slept. Each time the victim woke and removed his hand, the conduct continued despite her efforts to block further contact.
After alerting her mother, the victim reported the incident to flight attendants, who moved her to a different seat. Ballot was taken into custody upon arrival in Seattle.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said prosecutors have seen an increase in reported sexual assaults aboard aircraft in recent years and emphasized the need for accountability and deterrence.
Judge Chun also ordered Ballot to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Port of Seattle Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Forstein and Cindy Chang.
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