Millionaire, 53, is sentenced to seven years in prison for having sex with a 15-year-old girl while his private plane was on autopilot
- Stephen Bradley Mell, 53, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday
- The New Jersey millionaire admitted to engaging in sex acts with a 15-year-old girl during the summer of 2017
- Mell was said to have met the girl through her mother, who wanted him to give the teen flying lessons
- During a flight, Mell was said to have put his private plane into autopilot mode in order to perform midair sex acts on the girl
- Mell’s lawyers argued that he is a ‘humble man’ who was on ‘multiple anti-depressants’ after he gave up his seat on a fatal helicopter crash
Stephen Bradley Mell, 53, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday, after pleading guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct and receiving child pornography
A New Jersey millionaire will spend seven years in jail after he admitted to engaging in sex acts with an underage girl.
Stephen Bradley Mell, 53, had his sentence handed down in federal court on Monday.
Judge Brian Martinotti sentenced Mell to an additional five years of supervised release, as well as a fine OF $40,000, restitution of $35,200 and an assessment of $5,000.
Last December, Mell pleaded guilty to engaging in interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct and receiving child pornography.
Mell, a father-of-three who had a brokerage firm, was accused of committing sex acts on a 15-year-old girl whose mother had approached him so that he could give her flying lessons, according to legal documents obtained by the Bridgewater Courier News.
Mell performed sex acts on the girl on three occasions in June and July of 2017, according to The New York Daily News.
One of the encounters took place in midair while Mell was flying a small aircraft that he owned.
The millionaire reportedly put his plane on autopilot to engage in sex acts with the teen.
Mell additionally communicated with the girl over Snapchat, where he asked ‘if she knew how to perform oral sex’.
He allegedly also asked the underage teen to send him nude photographs.
Court documents state that Mell (right) began communicating with the girl on Snapchat
Mell admitted to having three sexual encounters with the underage teen, including one that took place on a small aircraft similar to the one pictured
Prior to his sentencing last month, Mell’s legal team argued that he is a ‘humble man’ who was on ‘multiple anti-depressants’ after falling into ‘a spiral of depression’ brought on by survivors’ guilt over giving up his seat on a fatal helicopter trip with friends in 2012.
Mell was known in his community for starting his own charity, Air LifeLine, which flew children with medical needs across the US for treatment.
The former broker was also actively involved in other charities serving children, including sitting on the board of the Far Hills Day School where he was once a student, USA Today reported.
He was also board member at the preparatory school where his son is a student, Westminster School in Connecticut.
Mell sold his Bedminster mansion back in April for an estimated $3.8million, according to Redfin.
His wife Kimberly Ann (Ruggles) has filed for divorce.
Mell’s wife has filed for divorce, and their lavish New Jersey home was sold back in April for a reported sum of $3.8 million
Mell headed a 22 person company, was engaged in charity work and lived in this New Jersey mansion before his stunning downfall
Mell began working as a municipal trader at W. H. Mell Associates in Summit, New Jersey, where his father was the president and chief executive officer.
He later took over as president of the 22-person company.
After pleading guilty to federal charges Mell was made to turn over his pilot license and told to stay 1,000 feet away from the teen girl’s home and workplace.
In addition, he was restricted from using computers.
Mell (right) will soon begin his seven-year prison sentence. He will be be supervised for an additional five years following his release