BOSTON — A man who works for Delta Air Lines has been charged in federal court after prosecutors say he traveled to Massachusetts and sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl he met online while posing as a teenage boy.
Andre Jamal Bennett, 33, of Queens, New York, is charged with interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
Bennett was arrested Tuesday in the Eastern District of New York and remains in custody pending a court hearing.
He’s since been suspended by Delta.
Who is Andre Jamal Bennett?
Federal prosecutors say Bennett is employed by Delta Air Lines as a ground controller at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
According to court documents, Bennett allegedly created multiple social media accounts in September 2025, including Instagram and Snapchat profiles, using the fictitious name “Chris.”
Investigators allege Bennett falsely presented himself as a 16-year-old boy in order to communicate with a 13-year-old girl from Stoughton.
What do prosecutors say happened?
Authorities allege Bennett flew from New York City to Boston in November 2025 after communicating with the girl online.
After arriving in Massachusetts, Bennett allegedly told the girl he was nearby and pressured her to meet him in person.
Prosecutors say the victim still believed she was meeting “Chris,” the teenage boy she had been communicating with online. To further conceal his identity, Bennett allegedly wore a hooded sweatshirt that partially covered his face during the meeting.
According to charging documents, Bennett then allegedly brought the girl to a hotel, where prosecutors say he sexually assaulted her and recorded the encounter on his cellphone.
Did the contact continue afterward?
Federal authorities allege Bennett continued contacting the girl through social media for several months after the encounter.
Prosecutors say he repeatedly attempted to persuade her to meet him again and even allegedly offered to pay her. The girl refused those requests, according to the complaint.
What charges does Bennett face?
Bennett is charged with interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
If convicted, he faces:
- Up to 30 years in federal prison
- A minimum of five years of supervised release
- Up to lifetime supervised release
- A fine of up to $250,000
Who is investigating?
The case was announced by:
- U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley
- FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks
- Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox
Assistance was provided by the FBI’s New York Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Delta responds to allegations
In a statement, a Delta spokesperson told Boston 25:
“Delta has absolutely zero tolerance for criminal conduct in any aspect of our business and will always work with law enforcement to that end. We are appalled by the charges related to the arrest, and the individual in question has been suspended.”
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