JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on a Carnival Cruise ship, according to the Department of Justice.
Brian Holland, 23, has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with aggravated sexual abuse by force. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a potential lifetime of supervision.
According to the complaint, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation were notified by the security department of the Carnival Cruise Line vessel Elation that a passenger onboard the ship had been involved in an incident of sexual abuse on February 27, 2018.
The victim said that she was in the Jacuzzi with Holland on the cruise ship when he kept attempting to put his arm around her and she attempted to move further away from him. Holland then tried to put his hand on her shoulder and pull her back toward him. According to the Department of Justice, the victim stated that Holland began to forcibly assault her.
The victim left the Jacuzzi and immediately reported what happened to family, who then reported it to ship security. The victim was examined by medical personnel on the ship, who found abrasions that were consistent with what she said.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Washington and Jay Taylor.
