Hotel Security Guard Charged with Trespassing on Boat while Owners Slept

A security officer working at the Wyndham Inn on Long Wharf was charged with trespassing after he allegedly climbed aboard a boat docked nearby while a married couple slept below deck.

Police said James D. Gabus, 27, of 167 Bayside Ave., Swansea, Mass., an employee of JFA Security, was also reportedly training two newly-hired security guards when he went onto the vessel.

Police were dispatched to Long Wharf at 5:06 a.m. Thursday morning after the startled couple were awoken to the sound of someone walking around on the deck.

They told police they heard someone walking and a metal railing secured with a screw knob sounded like it was being manipulated.

The bedroom is in the aft of the vessel, and they looked out the porthole onto the deck and saw sneakers.

The husband then banged on the window and shouted, scaring Gabus away, police said. The husband then reportedly saw two men wearing dark uniforms with “SECURITY” across their backs on the dock walking away from the boat.

The husband and officers could see a security guard at the top of the Wyndham wearing similar clothes, and soon, police were interviewing three guards who at first denied being near the boat and gradually admitting that they were next to the vessel when Gabus hopped aboard.

At first, they claimed to be looking into a disturbance report, but police were able to confirm through the night security supervisor that there was no such report.

Then one guard said there was no way he’d go on the docks at all because he was terrified of water. But later, he reportedly said he was on the docks but didn’t see anybody climb on a boat.

The other said that he was walking on the dock, saw a woman wearing no clothes and decided to get out of there before ”being accused of doing something he didn’t,” police said.

Eventually, as police pointed out a growing list of contradictions and problems with their stories, they relented.

Gabus said he was showing the new hires around the area when he went on the boat “because it was a really nice boat and wanted to check it out,” according to a police report.

Police initially intended on charging Gabus with felony breaking and entering, but due to his admission and cooperation, along with the boat owners’ consent, they went ahead with just a trespassing charge.

Gabus was taken into custody without incident and later released with an Aug. 13 District Court hearing.