Federal prosecutors say James Benecke, a chief warrant officer in the Army, inappropriately touched two teens on flights to Seattle. He was arrested last week at a base near Anchorage, Alaska. (Joshua Magbanua/U.S. Air Force)

An Army chief warrant officer stationed in Alaska is accused of inappropriately touching two teens during flights on commercial airliners this spring according to a federal complaint unsealed this week.

James Benecke, 41, faces two counts of abusive sexual contact while on board an aircraft, Tessa Gorman, acting U.S. attorney for the western district of Washington, said in a statement Wednesday.

Prosecutors say he inappropriately touched a 16-year-old girl seated next to him on a flight in April and an 18-year-old woman who was beside him on a flight two months later.

Benecke was arrested last week at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage, the statement said. A spokesman from the 11th Airborne Division confirmed in a statement late Thursday that Benecke is assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Benecke denied the allegations, saying he is a “big guy” who spreads out on planes and that any contact was accidental, court records said.

The first instance occurred on a red-eye flight from Anchorage to Seattle on April 12, the U.S. attorney for Alaska said in court filings.

Prosecutors say Benecke put his hand on the 16-year-old girl’s thigh. After she threw his hand back and pulled her knees to her chest, Benecke put his hand on her buttocks, they allege.

Then on June 12, during a flight from Dallas to Seattle, Benecke touched a woman’s leg with his leg and later with his pinky, then slid his hand up her thigh, prosecutors said.

When the woman tried to speak to flight attendants, Benecke pretended to be asleep and did not get up to let her leave, prosecutors alleged in court filings.

The woman said she was forced to jump over him to get out, and when she did, she felt his hand on her buttocks.

After the teen and her boyfriend, who was sitting nearby, reported Benecke to the cabin crew, he was moved to a seat at the rear of the plane, according to the statement from the U.S. attorney’s office for the western district of Washington.

Prosecutors described Benecke as a decorated soldier who is recently divorced.

Benecke appeared in federal court in Alaska on Wednesday for an initial appearance, court records said. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 20 in Washington.