Maine Man Sentenced to 12 Months for Cruise Ship Assault
The victim contacted local law enforcement in Maine after returning home, and the case was referred to the FBI before charges were filed in June 2025.
A Maine man was sentenced Monday to 12 months in federal prison for assaulting his then-girlfriend aboard a Malta-registered cruise ship that departed New York City in December 2024. John Kelleher, 46, of Brewer, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
Kelleher also received one year of supervised release and was ordered to pay $360 in restitution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine said.
Federal case followed onboard assault allegations
Kelleher pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026, to assaulting his then-girlfriend while the two were traveling together on an international cruise ship. Court filings place the incident on or about December 19, 2024, during a voyage from New York City aboard a Malta-registered vessel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Kelleher had been drinking heavily before the assault. Prosecutors said he punched the victim with a closed fist multiple times and bit her during an argument in the couple’s cabin.
Court records said the victim suffered a black eye, bruising across her body and bite marks, which she photographed on her phone. Federal authorities did not name the cruise line or ship involved, and they did not provide further detail on the victim’s injuries.
The assault occurred while Kelleher was on state probation in Maine. Court records said his probation terms barred him from leaving the state without permission and prohibited him from consuming alcohol, both of which prosecutors said he violated by taking the cruise and drinking during the voyage.
Ship was under federal maritime jurisdiction
Cruise-ship criminal jurisdiction can depend on the ship’s location, flag state, voyage itinerary and the nationality of the people involved, with U.S. authorities able to investigate certain serious crimes connected to U.S. ports or U.S. passengers.
Federal maritime jurisdiction commonly applies to onboard incidents involving vessels operating on navigable waters, including foreign-flag ships that call at or depart from U.S. ports. For cruise lines operating U.S.-based voyages, certain serious incidents must be reported to the FBI and U.S. Coast Guard, and ship operators are required to preserve evidence and cooperate with investigations.
The victim did not report the assault to shipboard authorities during the voyage. After returning home, she contacted local law enforcement in Maine, which referred the matter to the FBI. The FBI investigated and filed charges in June 2025.
Operator remains unidentified
Several major cruise brands operated from the New York area in December 2024, including lines sailing from Manhattan and Royal Caribbean’s operation at nearby Cape Liberty in New Jersey. The federal case documents made public in connection with Kelleher’s sentencing did not identify the ship, the cruise line, the itinerary or the port where the voyage ended.
With the sentence imposed, the federal criminal case now moves into the supervision phase after Kelleher completes his prison term.
