A former cargo ship captain, John Merrone, 53, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn to drugging and raping a 21-year-old U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadet in 2019. The assault occurred while the cadet was training aboard the vessel as part of the academy’s Sea Year program. Merrone admitted to having sexual intercourse with the cadet without her consent after rendering her unconscious with an intoxicant "on the ship in the middle of the ocean." The woman, identified in court as Jane Doe, was prepared to testify, and prosecutors planned to call additional witnesses who accused Merrone of sexual assault over the past three decades.
Merrone faces up to life in prison, though federal sentencing guidelines suggest a range of 15 to 19 years. His defense team argues the estimate is too high. The former cadet, who still works in the maritime industry, watched the proceedings from the courtroom gallery. Her lawyer, Ryan Melogy, said she expressed relief after the plea, stating, "It's over." Melogy noted the challenges of prosecuting sex crimes, especially those occurring at sea.
Merrone was previously convicted of false imprisonment and battery in a separate case involving a Florida Keys waitress, but an appeals court overturned the verdict, and prosecutors did not retry the case.