Texas

American Airline Operations Manager Busted in Child-Sex Sting: Prosecutors

An American Airlines operations manager involved in the response to the 9/11 hijackings has been arrested near Pittsburgh on charges he arranged sex with a woman and a 10-year-old girl and sent sexually explicit messages.

Prosecutors say 55-year-old Ray Howland, of Arlington, Texas, was actually communicating with an undercover agent.

He was charged Friday with criminal attempt to commit rape of a child and other offenses.

He's jailed on $150,000 bail pending a July 7 hearing. An attorney isn't listed for him.

American Airlines declined to comment on his case. It says employees violating ethical standards could be fired.

Transcripts show Howland telling panicked Boston employees to keep quiet about the Flight 11 hijacking minutes before the jetliner struck the World Trade Center. He's mentioned in the footnotes of the 9/11 Commission report.

Copyright The Associated Press
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