LI Man Accused Of Assaulting Woman Aboard Cruise Ship: Feds

BOSTON, MA - A Long Island man was arrested and charged in federal court on Friday for assaulting a woman aboard a cruise ship, according to United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

Adam Damian Panetta, 45, of Farmingville, was charged with one count of assault and one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury, the U.S. attorney said.

According to Lelling, on Thursday while aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Gem, Panetta was caught on surveillance video pulling a woman by her hair down the full length of a hallway.

The two were then seen outside of one of the cabins, the U.S. attorney said.

While Panetta attempted to open the cabin door, the woman was striking him in the face with an open hand, the U.S. attorney said. He then turned toward the woman and punched her twice in the side of her head with a closed fist, the U.S. attorney said.

The woman fell to the ground and appeared to be unconscious, the U.S. attorney said.

Panetta entered the cabin and left the woman on the floor in the hallway, according to Lelling.

After about a minute he came out of the cabin and leaned down to the woman, who was unresponsive, Lelling said.

Eventually, the woman began to crawl into the room and Panetta did not appear to help her but instead kicked her twice in the buttocks before following her into the room, the U.S. attorney said.

The two left the room a short while later and the woman was holding a white towel over her head, which appeared to be stained with blood, the U.S. attorney said.

The two arrived at the ship’s medical center where the woman was treated for her injuries, which included 8 cm of swelling on the right side of her head as well as a 2.5 cm laceration that required five stitches, according to the U.S. attorney.

At the time of the alleged assault, the ship was 200 miles off the coast of New Jersey.

Panetta was taken into custody when the ship arrived into the port of Boston on Friday, the U.S. attorney said.