Lucas George Wickes a 25 year old man of Rochester has plead guilty in a federal court to sexually assaulting a young girl on a cruise ship. The incident happened almost four years ago onboard the “Disney Wonder” on a New Year’s Caribbean cruise.
Wickes admitted to the court that he engaged in sexual conduct with the 13 year old girl on January 1st 2007. The criminal complained stated that Wickes encountered the girl when she left the ship’s teen club and ordered her to accompany him. The victim says that she believed Wickes was a security officer so she followed him to the rear of the ship; where the assault took place.
Wickes admits that he had sexual contact with the girl but claims that it thought the act was consensual and the girl was 17 years old. The official plea was guilty to abusive sexual contact on the high seas. This crime is a felony and carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Personally, I hope they throw the book at him and give him the maximum sentence.
Let us say we believe that he engaged in a consensual act with a girl he believed is 17, what kind of pervert cases the teen club on a Disney cruise ship looking for stragglers to hook up with. Even if he believed he was engaging in a borderline lawful act his moral compass is so far off center that he should be locked under the a jail.
Let this serve as a reminder to all cruise ship passengers and especially parents that the same dangers that exist at home exist while you are on vacation. In fact, due to the muddled legalities of crime at sea and the unfamiliar circumstances of the environment it is even more important to be cautious while on a cruise. You should also take time to make you and your party familiar with the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act.
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