SAN FRANCISCO – A 48-year-old man was sentenced to seven months in prison for groping a 14-year-old girl who sat next to him on a flight from the Philippines, according to the US attorney's office.

Benjamin Caniaveral, of Alameda, California, was sentenced April 3 after he pleaded guilty in October to assaulting a juvenile, spokeswoman Natalya LaBauve said. Caniaveral touched the arm and stomach of the 14-year-old who was sleeping under a blanket in the window seat on a flight from Manila to San Francisco. He then moved his hand below the waist, waking the girl who called a flight attendant for help. A federal judge rejected Caniaveral’s request for probation. He must report to prison by April 30.

• Filam wins Florida ‘bee’
  

  ORLANDO, Florida – After one of the longest Central Florida spelling bees in recent history, 11-year-old Philippine-born Miguel Gatmaytan late last month won top honors and a trip to the nation’s capital with the word cossack. The Ocala boy smiled, shook runner-up Sophie Jupillat’s hand, then sat down while his father and others rushed to take his photo. A few minutes later, the victory seemed to sink in. Miguel, a sixth-grader at Osceola Middle School in Marion County, survived 38 rounds of spelling challenges and beat out 13 other competitors to win the 48th annual Central Florida bee.

  The youngest regional spelling champion in more than a decade, Miguel’s victory earned him a spot in the National Spelling Bee in May.

  “I feel awesome,” Miguel said after he had been handed a trophy and prizes, which included $2,000 for travel expenses to Washington, DC. After 24 rounds, Miguel and Sophie, the Lake County champion, were the last two spellers left, and they battled for the top spot.