Had Also Reportedly Used A Racial Slur During The Incident

A crying baby on a crowded airliner is always frustrating, particularly for the parents of the child. But a 61-year-old businessman who slapped an African-American toddler on a Delta Airlines flight last year has found himself sentenced to eight months in federal prison for assaulting a child who began crying during the flight.

The offending passenger, Joe Rickey Hundley, was arrested after the incident which occurred in February 2013. The online site The Smoking Gun reports that, according to an FBI affidavit, the 19-month-old boy began to cry as the plane started its descent into Atlanta. The boy's mother, Jessica Bennett, said he was "distressed" by the altitude change. Hundley reportedly told the mother to "shut that n_______ baby up," and then slapped the child in the face, leaving a scratch under his right eye. Hundley reportedly appeared intoxicated at the time.

Hundley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in October. He was sentenced to eight months in federal prison rather than the six months recommended by prosecutors because he had a prior conviction for assaulting his girlfriend, the federal magistrate said.

Hundley apologized to the mother during the sentencing hearing. She said he was a "bully" who decided it was appropriate to "unleash his bigotry" against her and her young child.

(Atlanta police booking photo of Joe Hundley)

FMI: www.gand.uscourts.gov