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The US Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against former ship captain John Merrone, alleging he drugged and sexually assaulted a US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadet aboard an American-flagged cargo ship.
Justice4Mariners, a law firm that represents survivors of maritime injury and abuse, is counsel for the survivor — now a graduate of the academy — as well as a second victim, a licensed Merchant Marine officer.
“This is a watershed moment for the maritime industry,” said attorney Ryan Melogy, founder of Justice4Mariners, graduate of the USMMA, and former merchant marine officer. “We have not seen the DOJ bring criminal charges for a sexual assault at sea aboard a US-flag cargo vessel in more than a generation. This is a huge, historic turning point for maritime safety.”
“My client endured a horrific betrayal while serving her country at sea — and still found the strength to graduate and earn her licence,” Melogy said. “She and the second survivor I represent have both showed extraordinary courage, patience, and determination in making these historic criminal charges possible.”
The charges stem from events first reported in October of 2022, when CNN revealed that Merrone allegedly drugged two cadets aboard the US-flag cargo ship Liberty Glory and raped one of them. Merrone had previously been convicted of false imprisonment and battery in Florida, yet continued working in the commercial fleet for years, and the USMMA continued to send cadets to serve aboard his ships.
“This case is about more than one captain — it’s about a broken system consisting of US 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. “That system is finally failing.”
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