An Oregon woman was arrested on a sexual abuse charge at Portland International Airport after she allegedly touched another woman's breasts and genitals without her consent on a flight to Portland Sunday evening, according to a police report.
Police were called to the airport while Heidi McKinney, 26, was still onboard Alaska Airlines flight 621 which she and the victim were travelling in. The plane had left Las Vegas and after arriving at the airport at around 9:20 p.m., McKinney was taken into custody.
A Port of Portland police report indicates that McKinney fondled the woman as the aircraft travelled within Oregon airspace. After being groped by McKinney, she told airline personnel about the incident, who in turn contacted police, according to the report.
Authorities were waiting on the ground when the plane landed, and after interviewing the alleged victim who told them that she was touched without her consent, they arrested the Banks, Ore., native.
McKinney was booked in Multnomah County Jail, where her bail was set at $2,500, on misdemeanor third-degree sexual abuse. She later posted bail, and a "no complaint" disposition was filed Monday afternoon, according to the sheriff's office.
This isn't the first time McKinney has found herself on the wrong side of the law, according to court records. Her rap sheet shows that she has been previously charged with drunk driving, reckless driving and being a minor in possession of alcohol. With that in mind, it's possible alcohol was a factor in the alleged illegal contact, however the police report doesn't say anything that would suggest McKinney was intoxicated at the time of the incident.
According to her Facebook page, McKinney lives in Sherwood, a Portland suburb, and attended Portland Community College. Based on recent posts, McKinney is a "Game of Thrones" fan and supported Dr. Ben Carson's Republican presidential candidacy.
In the meantime, state prosecutors announced that they will no longer pursue the third-degree sexual abuse charge against McKinney. Instead, the case has been referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office for review. Under normal circumstances, federal prosecutors handle cases involving crimes alleged to have been committed onboard aircraft.
