Long Island Man Pleads Guilty To Assaulting Woman On Cruise

A Farmingville man faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman aboard a cruise ship in April.

Adam Damian Panetta, 45, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston this week to one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury, according to the Department of Justice.

Surveillance footage shows Panetta aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Gem pulling a woman by her hair down a hallway on April 25, according to federal prosecutors.

Then, Panetta slapped the woman while trying to open a cabin door and then punched her twice in the side of the head, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, the woman fell to the ground and appeared to be unconscious. Panetta entered the cabin and left the woman on the floor in the hallway. After about one minute, Panetta came out of the cabin and leaned down to the woman, who was unresponsive.

Eventually, the woman began to crawl into the room and Panetta did not appear to assist her, prosecutors said. As she began to crawl, Panetta kicked her twice. He then followed her into the room, prosecutors said.

When Panetta and woman left the room later, the woman was holding a white towel on her head, which prosecutors said was stained with blood.

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

At the time of the alleged assault, the ship was approximately 200 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. Panetta was taken into custody when the ship arrived into the port of Boston.

The charge of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.