Cruise worker accused of sexually abusing minor girls at ship’s youth center
A Celebrity Cruises employee is accused of sexually abusing two children who were in his care at a youth center aboard one of the ships.
Cris John Pentinio Castor, 35, was charged by indictment Wednesday with two counts of abusive sexual contact of a minor, federal prosecutors said in a news release Thursday. He has been in custody at the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s Paul Rein Detention Facility since Nov. 30.
Castor, who is a citizen and resident of the Philippines, had worked on the “Celebrity Silhouette” as a youth counselor in the ship’s Camp at Sea center since August, according to a criminal complaint.
The father of a 6-year-old girl reported to the youth center’s manager three days before the end of a Caribbean cruise that his daughter “wanted to share something” shortly after they had picked her up from the center that morning, the complaint said. The girl told the manager that crewmember “CJ” had inappropriately touched her.
The girl told a forensic interviewer after the ship arrived back at Port Everglades on Nov. 30 that Castor touched her underneath her clothes while she was playing a video game, the complaint said. Security footage showed Castor sitting next to the girl in the youth center with his hand reaching toward the girl’s lap.
Castor agreed to speak with law enforcement on Nov. 30 and admitted touching the minor victim and at least three others at the youth center, the complaint said, while intentionally hiding from the cameras. The camera that recorded Castor sitting next to the 6-year-old and reaching for her lap was recording them from behind, according to the complaint, and did not record the contact directly.
A detention order filed Wednesday said agents were able to identify one other victim. Prosecutors said in the news release the second victim was also age 6.
“We have zero tolerance for this behavior,” Celebrity Cruises said in an emailed statement Thursday night. “We reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.”
The ship departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 20 for a 10-day cruise with stops in St. Maarten, Saint Lucia, Tobago, Grenada and Antigua.
Castor’s attorney did not return an email seeking comment Thursday night.
Castor’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Friday. He faces a maximum possible penalty of life in prison.
