San Antonio plane passenger fined $500 for “Mile High Club” sex act

Enrique Gonzalez walks from the federal courthouse with his wife Gladys Gonzalez on Tuesday after he was found guilty on lewd behavior charges aboard an airliner earlier this year. Friday, he was fined $500 but no jail time. less Enrique Gonzalez walks from the federal courthouse with his wife Gladys Gonzalez on Tuesday after he was found guilty on lewd behavior charges aboard an airliner earlier this year. Friday, he was fined $500 but ... more Photo: Tom Reel /Staff Photographer Photo: Tom Reel /Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close San Antonio plane passenger fined $500 for “Mile High Club” sex act 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

A man found guilty this week of performing a sexual act on a flight to San Antonio was slapped Friday with a maximum $500 fine.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Farrer said he believed Enrique Gonzalez, 49, who is originally from the San Antonio area, made “a one time mistake” when he masturbated on a United Airlines flight carrying 76 passengers on Feb. 3.

Another passenger seated near Gonzalez witnessed the act and reported him to the flight crew.

Related: Airplane passenger accused of trying the 'Mile High Club' on trial in San Antonio

Gonzalez, who lived in California, faced a $500 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail. The judge didn’t impose any jail time.

His lawyer, David Cavazos, said during Friday’s hearing that Gonzalez is a licensed physician’s assistant who gave up that career to do missionary work.

“He was on his way back to Texas to come back and live here with his mom, who is dealing with Crohn’s disease and is not doing very good,” Cavazos told the judge. “He got carried away with his wife and made a horrible mistake, and he’s remorseful for it.”

Gonzalez’s case is a rare example of what happens to those caught performing sexual acts on planes, often referred to as joining the “Mile High Club.”

Gonzalez was arrested when the plane landed, and he spent several hours at the Bexar County Jail. His wife paid $1,000 to bail him out. On a police body camera video played during Wednesday’s trial, she acknowledged helping him with the sexual act, but said nothing was exposed because they were covered with a shawl. She was not charged.

On ExpressNews.com: Passenger found guilty at San Antonio trial over “Mile High Club” incident

At trial, the judge found Gonzalez guilty of a federal misdemeanor charge of lewd, indecent or obscene conduct in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

“I am paying in heart and soul for my indiscretion on that dreadful evening,” Gonzalez told the judge. “I am most regretful to my family and my dear friends, for the embarrassment, the confusion ... this caused. They deserve better.”

Cavazos asked the judge to sentence Gonzalez only to the night he served in jail, with no fine or other additional time behind bars, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Bettina Richardson argued the crime called for more.

Richardson noted that the flight crew believed there might be a confrontation between the outraged witness and Gonzalez.

“As flight attendant pointed out, this isn’t only about the lewd conduct,” Richardson said. “It is about what it can turn into.”

Guillermo Contreras covers federal courts in San Antonio and international legal issues. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland