FBI arrests Princess Cruises crew member for alleged sexual assault

mercedes · March 10, 2009

Several news outlets are reporting that a crew member on the Coral Princess has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female passenger.

The Los Angeles Times says FBI agents boarded the 1,970-passenger vessel Monday in Los Angeles after it pulled in from a 14-night repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale and took the crew member into custody.

NBC's Los Angeles affiliate says the passenger accused the crew member of sexual assault two days ago while the Princess ship was at sea. The station says the scene of the alleged assault was sealed off and the crew member, identified by the NBC station as 38-year-old Jorge Manuel Teixeira of Portugal, was confined to his quarters.

An FBI evidence team was on board the vessel Monday.

The accused crew member is expected to appear today before a U.S. District Court magistrate in Los Angeles to face charges in connection with the incident.