JUNE 27 UPDATE: 

A Gardnerville man was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay nearly $50,000 after he interfered with crew members during a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas in 2019. 

Department of Justice officials say 41-year-old Daniel Parkhurst pleaded guilty on February 22 to one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

Parkhurst was also sentenced to six months of home confinement. 

During the Southwest flight, authorities say he also assaulted another passenger as well. 

Police say his actions caused the plane to be diverted from its flight to Las Vegas and land in Reno.

Original Story:

The United States Attorney's Office, District of Nevada says a Gardnerville man was arrested and charged with sexual assault, after he allegedly touched a person inappropriately on a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas.

Officials said 38-year-old Daniel Parkhurst was charged with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of abusive sexual conduct. They said he was arrested without incident on Thursday afternoon in Gardnerville.

Officials said on October 31, 2019, Parkhurst allegedly intimidated flight crew members and flight attendants on a Southwest Airlines flight, when he allegedly touched another person on the upper inner thigh without the person's consent. They said he allegedly created a disturbance by engaging in abusive sexual conduct and interfered with the performance of duties of the flight crew. They said as a result, the aircraft was diverted from its flight to Las Vegas and landed in Reno.

Officials said Parkhurst faces a total maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.