A Texas man from a law enforcement family found himself in hot water when his cruise ship arrived in Florida, leading to his arrest after a woman accused him of raping her onboard. Juan Campos, 28, was taken into custody when the Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas docked at Port Everglades over the weekend. The 20-year-old accuser claimed that Campos attacked her mid-cruise on August 28, as reported by Local 10 News.
According to the arrest report, the woman alleged that Campos penetrated her against her will with an unknown object, causing her to push him away and tell him to stop. She further stated that Campos attempted to force her into performing oral sex and tried to penetrate her again when his initial advances were rebuffed.
Campos’ attorney, Ed Hoeg, maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual and that his client ceased all actions when asked to stop. Hoeg described the incident as a result of things escalating between Campos and the woman, but emphasized that Campos respected her boundaries and ceased when she verbalized her desire to stop.
Originally from Houston, Campos hails from a law enforcement family who were shocked by the rape allegations. Hoeg mentioned that Campos has no criminal history and is regarded as a great person by his family. Despite this, Campos was removed from the ship at Port Everglades and is currently detained at the Broward County Main Jail with a $20,000 bond set by a judge.
The accusations against Campos come in the wake of a woman being awarded over $12 million by Carnival Cruise Line following her claim of being raped by a crew member during a 2018 trip. Fredy Anggara, the accused Carnival staffer, allegedly assaulted the woman in a closet aboard the Carnival Miracle on December 1, 2018. The legal battle resulted in a $10 million verdict in 2022, with an additional $2 million added by Judge Kathleen Williams after Carnival challenged the initial ruling.
The case involving Campos and the woman on the Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas serves as another reminder of the importance of consent and respecting boundaries, especially in closed environments such as cruise ships. It also sheds light on the potential risks associated with interactions between passengers and crew members on cruise ships, highlighting the need for vigilance and accountability in such settings.
