Personal Injury Law

Man charged with fondling boy during cruise

By Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A.

PITTSBURGH -- Federal investigators say a western Pennsylvania man charged with molesting a boy on a cruise ship admitted he took the trip so he could have a sexual encounter with a child.

A federal judge in Pittsburgh ordered 71-year-old Sherwood Stevenson, of Clinton, to remain in custody Wednesday until trial. He's charged with traveling with intent to engage in illegal sexual conduct.

Authorities say Stevenson went into the children's area during a December cruise and fondled a 6-year-old boy in a hot tub. The FBI says surveillance footage shows Stevenson putting his arm around the boy and pulling him onto his lap.

Defense attorney Marketa Sims says her client's statement isn't reliable because he described a much older boy to police. She says Stevenson takes antidepressant and anti-psychotic medication.

A trial date has not been set.

Full post as published by Cruise Ship Law on June 25, 2010 (boomark / email).