A hairstylist working aboard the Virgin Voyages ship Brilliant Lady is facing federal charges after investigators say he sexually molested passengers who believed they were getting massages during a June Alaska cruise. The alleged assaults triggered a shipboard arrest when the vessel returned to Seattle, and court filings describe multiple women who were moved from the main salon into a smaller room before the touching began.
Federal prosecutors identified the defendant as 26-year-old Pranit Narayan Pawar. He was arrested late last week when the Brilliant Lady docked in Seattle and has been charged with two counts of abusive sexual contact. Pawar, who was employed on the ship as a hairstylist, made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Passengers told investigators that Pawar offered massages to women who had booked salon appointments, sometimes pitching a complimentary session if the customer scheduled additional visits. Local coverage that summarized the arrest and court records reported that some clients were steered into private rooms for the supposed massages, according to MyNorthwest.
The criminal complaint filed in Seattle alleges that on June 26 Pawar moved at least two women into a small barber room beside the salon and, while massaging them, put his hands under their shirts and onto their breasts. In one case, the complaint says Pawar locked the door before assaulting the victim. Agents later recorded Pawar admitting he had taken "four to five women" into the barber shop to give massages, according to the criminal complaint.
Federal Jurisdiction and Investigation
Because the conduct is alleged to have occurred aboard a Bermuda-flagged vessel on a voyage that left from and returned to Seattle, prosecutors are handling the case in federal court under the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The FBI, which investigates physical and sexual assaults in that jurisdiction, is leading the inquiry and provides guidance for reporting crimes that happen on cruise ships.
Potential Penalties
Pawar is charged with abusive sexual contact under federal law. Statutes in Chapter 109A, including 18 U.S.C. § 2244, govern abusive sexual contact and set maximum penalties that vary based on the circumstances. In many cases the offense carries a statutory maximum of up to two years in prison, depending on the specific subsection and the facts, as reflected in federal sentencing guidance and the statutes themselves.
How to Report
Authorities say anyone who believes they were victimized or who witnessed misconduct should report it to ship security, local law enforcement, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or through tips.fbi.gov. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also asked witnesses and potential victims to come forward as the case moves ahead.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean H. Waite. The charges in the complaint are allegations, and Pawar is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. We will continue to follow court filings and local reporting as future hearings and any additional public statements unfold.
