Personal Injury Law

Passenger admits to sexually assaulting young girl on Disney ship

By Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A.

A New York man has admitted to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl while aboard a Disney cruise ship.

USA TODAY sister paper the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle today reports Lucas Wickes, 25, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to abusive sexual contact on the high seas, a felony that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

The guilty plea, before U.S. District Judge David Larimer, comes nearly four years after the incident, which occurred on the 1,750-passenger Disney Wonder on Jan. 1, 2007 soon after it left Port Canaveral, Fla.

The Democrat & Chronicle says a criminal complaint alleged that Wickes encountered the girl as she left the Wonder's teen club and ordered her to accompany him. The girl, who said she believed he was a security officer, followed him to the rear of the ship, where she was assaulted, the news outlet says.

The Democrat & Chronicle says Wickes admitted to federal agents that he had sexual contact with the girl but had said it was consensual. He also said he believed the girl was 17, the news outlet says.

Originally Posted at: www.travel.usatoday.com

Full post as published by Cruise Ship Law on September 27, 2010 (boomark / email).