Jalen Thomas Kelley, Sexual Assault, Maryland 2023

A 21-year-old man from Abingdon, Maryland, has been charged with sexual assault on a cruise ship.

Jalen Thomas Kelley, 21, of Abingdon, Maryland, has been indicted on charges of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and assault within the territorial jurisdiction, according to a federal grand jury in Baltimore.

The indictment alleges that Kelley engaged in a sexual act by force and assaulted Victim 1 without consent on board a cruise vessel, the Carnival Legend, which had a scheduled departure from and an arrival in Baltimore, Maryland, between January 1, 2023, and January 2, 2023.

Kelley was arrested by the FBI Charlotte Field Office in Wingate, North Carolina, on September 20, 2023.

According to the indictment, Kelley faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

This investigation is ongoing, and individuals who may have any information regarding this investigation are encouraged to contact the FBI Baltimore at 410-265-8080.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked Wingate University Campus Safety and Wingate Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katelyn Semales and Sean Delaney, who are prosecuting the federal case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/maryland-man-facing-federal-charges-sexual-assault-cruise-ship