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Published on May 13, 2024
Miami Customs Officials Arrest Cruise Ship Worker for Alleged Child Pornography PossessionSource: Unsplash/ Emiliano Bar

A cruise ship crew member has been busted for allegedly having child pornography on his cellphone in Miami, marking the latest arrest in a troubling trend in the cruise industry. Komang Parianta, 33, was arrested after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers searched his cabin and discovered two videos suspected of showing child sexual abuse, NBC Miami reported.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the videos depicted a young girl, estimated to be around five years old, and another girl between 12 to 13 years old being sexually assaulted. After the discovery, Parianta was swiftly taken to Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He made a subsequent appearance in a Miami court where his bond was set at $20,000.

This arrest doesn't stand alone but rather adds to a disturbing pattern. As reported by Cruise Law News, Parianta is the sixth crew member to be arrested on similar charges in South Florida in just over a three-month period. Among those previously taken into custody is 44-year-old Dennis Ofrancia De Leon of Celebrity Cruises, and Tirso Anthony Neri, 44, a former Disney Dream crew member.

The details of Parianta's employment have yet to be publicly disclosed. Law enforcement officials in Florida have the authority to look to thoroughly investigate offenses occurring on cruise ships that depart and return to the state's ports. As the sixth incident recently recorded, the question circulates whether the cruise industry is doing enough to combat and prevent such abhorrent acts among their employees.

Miami-Crime & Emergencies