DOJ Files Criminal Charges Against Ship Captain for Sexual Assault at Sea

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against former ship captain John Merrone for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadet aboard the American-flagged cargo ship Liberty Glory.

The charges, filed in the Eastern District of New York, mark the first DOJ prosecution for sexual assault aboard a U.S. commercial vessel in over 40 years, according to counsel in the case.

According to the indictment, Merrone faces five criminal counts for events that occurred on September 9, 2019, aboard the M/V Liberty Glory while traveling from Bahrain to Corpus Christi, Texas. The charges include aggravated sexual abuse for allegedly drugging and rendering the female victim unconscious before sexually assaulting her, sexual abuse for engaging in sexual acts while the victim was incapable of consent, and three counts of abusive sexual contact related to non-consensual sexual contact while the victim was either unconscious or incapable of consent.

“This is a watershed moment for the maritime industry,” said Ryan Melogy, founder of Justice4Mariners and former merchant marine officer. “We have not seen the DOJ bring criminal charges for a sexual assault at sea aboard a U.S.-flag cargo vessel in more than a generation. This is a huge, historic turning point for maritime safety.”

Justice4Mariners serves as counsel for the victim, along with a second victim who was also allegedly drugged.

The case has highlighted systemic issues within the maritime industry. Merrone had previously been convicted of false imprisonment and battery in Florida, yet continued working in the commercial fleet while the USMMA continued sending cadets to serve aboard his ships.

The incident alleged in the indictment was first reported by CNN in early October 2022. Following public pressure, the American Maritime Officers union expelled Merrone, citing “multiple credible allegations” and concerns about crew safety. Shortly after, he surrendered his Merchant Mariner Credential to the Coast Guard and accepted a lifetime ban from the U.S. maritime industry.

The incident follows explosive revelations of instances of sexual assault and harassment against female cadets during sea year training while attending USMMA after an anonymous blog post published in 2021 from a female victim and student at the federal service academy. Her report claimed she was raped by a superior officer while serving as an engine cadet aboard a U.S.-flagged ship during her sea year training in the Middle East in 2019. The victim, who became known as Midshipman X, later revealed herself as Hope Hicks.

“This case is about more than one captain — it’s about a broken system consisting of U.S. government agencies, maritime labor unions, and commercial shipping companies that have worked cooperatively for decades to protect known sexual predators and silence their victims,” Melogy added.

USMMA’s Sea Year training program was temporarily paused in November 2021 after Hicks’ story became public, but the program was reinstated about a month later with new policies and procedures in place meant to protect cadets against sexual assault and sexual harassment.

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