Inadequate Security

A man convicted of raping a 17-year-old on a Carnival Cruise sexually assaulted at least half a dozen other people, according to an FBI investigation.

Jalen Thomas Kelley, 22, of Abingdon, Maryland, was convicted of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and assault after police say he raped a minor aboard the Carnival Legend in January 2023. During the two-week trial, six other people spoke out against Kelley and testified that he had sexually assaulted them in separate incidents.

Officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland said in a news release that Kelley could face a maximum sentence of life in prison. As of Tuesday morning, he had not been sentenced. His sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge.

Police are investigating rape allegations after an MSC Cruises passenger claims she was raped by multiple crew members on a recent voyage.

The woman, a 44-year-old from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, who was not named in the article, reported the incident to police on Dec. 7 when her ship returned to PortMiami. The woman alleges that while traveling alone for a week-long cruise she mistakenly mixed her anti-anxiety medication with alcohol and went to the ship’s buffet. The woman said she planned to take the food back with her to her cabin to eat before going to bed.

A waiter allegedly found her and took her plate to her room, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. Instead of leaving, the woman said the waiter lingered before raping her. The next day, the woman said what room she was staying in while speaking with a different crewmember.

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