Man found guilty of harassing a flight attendant

TAMPA — A 53-year-old Chicago man has been found guilty of interfering with a flight attendant on a Southwest Airlines flight to Tampa.

Gene R. Komosa was arrested and taken to jail on Jan. 18, accused of assaulting a flight attendant as his airplane approached Tampa International Airport.

According to an FBI report, Komosa made sexual remarks and racial slurs and hit a flight attendant in the face aboard Southwest Airlines flight 3238, which originated from Chicago Midway Airport. About 20 minutes before the airplane landed, Komosa stood up and refused multiple commands by a flight attendant to sit down. He was “flailing his arms around uncontrollably” then hit the flight attendant in the face, the FBI report said.

An off-duty officer on the airplane heard Komosa yell words to the effect of, “I’m going to blow the plane up,” the FBI reported. A federal jury found Komosa guilty just one day after the trial began. He is expected to be sentenced within 60 days. The crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, said U.S. Attorney spokesman Steve Cole.

- Kevin Graham and Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writers