Cruise Line Employee Allegedly Targeted Kids in Ship's Youth Center
An employee who worked in a Celebrity Cruises youth center on one of the company’s ships reportedly admitted to molesting children after he was arrested following a Caribbean cruise last month.
The reported confession came after the ship docked in Florida. The employee was arrested after a 6-year-old girl told police he inappropriately touched her.
Citing an FBI affidavit, Fox News reported that Cris John Pentinio Castor was arrested at a port in Fort Lauderdale on a charge of abusive sexual contact of a minor under 12.
According to the affidavit, the ship The Celebrity Silhouette set sail from Port Everglades on Nov. 20 for a 10-day cruise, with several stops in the Caribbean.
On Nov. 27, while working in the ship’s youth center, the 6-year-old girl alleged that Castor touched her private parts.
The youth center was under video surveillance, but Castor, 35, reportedly knew the location of the cameras and allegedly touched the child in such a way that the act was not captured on video.
The alleged molestation occurred while the child was playing video games.
Upon reviewing the video, the FBI said the ship’s camera did not “capture the contact directly,” according to Fox.
The bureau did say that Castor’s alleged actions on tape were “consistent with the minor victim’s statement and shows Castor’s hand reaching into (the victim’s) lap, in the vicinity of her vaginal area.”
On Dec. 1, Castor was approached by police about the child’s accusation.
Fox News, citing the FBI affidavit, reported that Castor told agents he touched the girl and that he had inappropriately touched at least three other children.
In those events, Castor admitted to “skin-to-skin” contact with the children and with knowledge of where the ship’s youth center cameras were located.
The FBI affidavit stated Castor sexually abused children “on multiple occasions, while consciously hiding acts from the Youth Center’s security cameras.”
Celebrity Cruises told Fox News that the company was responsible for reporting Castor to police.
“We have zero tolerance for this behavior,” the company said in a statement. “We reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.”
Castor is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 15.
He is a citizen of the Philippines.
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