A former U.S. merchant ship captain has admitted to federal charges related to drugging and sexually assaulting a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadet while on a commercial ship. This case, which has gained significant attention in the maritime industry, has now concluded with his guilty plea before trial.
John Merrone pleaded guilty on Friday in a federal court in Brooklyn to all five charges against him. These include aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual contact. His plea came after a jury had already been selected for the trial.
Merrone could face a maximum sentence of life in prison at his upcoming sentencing.
As per the U.S. Department of Justice, Merrone confessed to giving the 21-year-old cadet a drug without her knowledge or consent, rendering her incapacitated before sexually assaulting her aboard the cargo ship Liberty Glory in September 2019.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated, “The defendant admitted to abusing his power as a ship captain to commit a terrible sexual assault against a young woman under his supervision, who was starting her career as a mariner. I hope today’s guilty plea brings the survivor some closure knowing that the defendant has been held accountable for his actions.”
The FBI noted the case highlighted a serious abuse of trust.
James C. Barnacle Jr., an assistant director at the FBI's New York Field Office, said, “Former Captain John Merrone violated his authority by drugging and sexually assaulting a U.S. Merchant Marine cadet on his ship. The FBI is committed to holding accountable those in positions of trust who abuse brave servicemembers.”
Incident During Sea Year Training
The assault took place while the victim was participating in the USMMA’s Sea Year program, which provides cadets with hands-on training aboard commercial vessels.
According to federal prosecutors, Merrone, then 47 and captain of the vessel, called the victim and another female cadet to his stateroom while they were sailing through the Atlantic Ocean en route to Corpus Christi, Texas, after leaving Bahrain.
After serving both cadets drinks from an open bottle, the women reportedly lost memory of the rest of the night.
The next morning, the victim woke up partially clothed and feeling nauseous and with a headache, having signs of a sexual assault. Merrone later called her to his stateroom and told her they had “fun last night,” asking if she wanted to do it again. When she said she couldn’t remember what happened, he allegedly commented that “one thing led to another.”
After returning to the U.S., the victim informed her mother and a friend about the assault and sought medical care. She reported the incident to law enforcement in 2021.
Significant Maritime Prosecution
The Justice Department filed charges against Merrone in June 2025, marking the first federal prosecution for sexual assault aboard a U.S.-flagged commercial vessel in over 40 years, according to attorneys involved in the case.
This case drew significant attention to the issues of sexual assault and harassment in the U.S. maritime industry and at the Merchant Marine Academy.
Merrone had previous convictions in Florida for false imprisonment and battery but continued working on commercial vessels while USMMA assigned cadets to his command.
Following the public revelation of the allegations in 2022, the American Maritime Officers union expelled Merrone due to multiple credible accusations. He also surrendered his Merchant Mariner Credential to the U.S. Coast Guard and accepted a lifetime ban from the maritime industry.
These events unfolded against the backdrop of further allegations of sexual assault during USMMA Sea Year training, as former cadet Hope Hicks, known as “Midshipman X,” publicly shared her experience of being raped by a superior officer during her 2019 Sea Year assignment.
These revelations led the academy to temporarily suspend the Sea Year program in late 2021 before reinstating it with new policies aimed at better protecting cadets from sexual assault and harassment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard, with prosecution managed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York's Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.