U.S. Coast Guard Charges Female Chief Steward with Sexually Harassing and Molesting Male Steward’s Assistant (SA) Aboard Military Sealift Command Vessel Operated by Maersk Subsidiary USMMI.
New York, NY
By: MLAA
In what may be the first Suspension & Revocation case of its kind, the U.S. Coast Guard has formally charged a female mariner with sexually harassing and molesting a male crewmember, and the agency is seeking the REVOCATION of the alleged harasser’s Merchant Mariner Credential(s) (MMCs).
In a complaint dated September 1, 2022, the Coast Guard charged Verleshia Ray Robinson with two counts of official Misconduct related to her time serving as the Chief Steward of a vessel owned by Military Sealift Command and operated by Maersk Line, Limited subsidiary “U.S. Marine Management, Inc (USMMI).”
Robinson is accused of harassing and molesting a male Steward’s Assistant (SA). The SA would have been Robinson’s subordinate and would have reported directly to Robinson.
The complaint alleges that Robinson “engaged in conduct with [the] Steward Assistant which had the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with Steward Assistant’s work performance and/or created an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.”
The complaint also alleges three specific instances in which Robinson made sexual contact with the Steward’s Assistant without his permission.
The complaint alleges that while the vessel was underway, Robinson “intentionally grabbed Steward Assistant by the waist and pressed her breast(s) against his back, through clothing, without Steward Assistant’s permission, and with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade Steward Assistant, and/or arouse Respondent’s [Robinson’s] sexual desire.”
On a second occasion, while the vessel was underway, the complaint alleges that Robinson “hugged Steward Assistant and rubbed his chest through clothing and rubbed her breast(s) against his arms, without Steward Assistant’s permission, and with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade Steward Assistant, and/or arouse Respondent’s [Robinson’s] sexual desire.”
On a third occasion, while the vessel was underway, the complaint alleges that Robinson “hugged Steward Assistant and pressed her body against his, without Steward Assistant’s permission, and with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade Steward Assistant, and/or arouse Respondent’s [Robinson’s] sexual desire.”
The Coast Guard’s complaint characterizes these acts of intentional unwanted sexual touching as aggravating factors, and alleges that these acts constitute “sexual molestation” as described in 46 CFR 5.61(a)(3).
Robinson has 20 days from receipt of the Coast Guard’s complaint to respond to the allegations or to request an extension of time to respond. MLAA is seeking to obtain, but has not yet obtained, Robinson’s response to the allegations leveled against her by the Coast Guard.
None of the allegations contained in the complaint have yet been found proven by a U.S. Coast Guard Administrative Law Judge. Robinson will maintain her MMC(s) and ability to sail aboard American-flag vessels during the entirety of the time her case is pending.
The Coast Guard case against Robinson is part of what appears to be the beginning of a broad and long-awaited crackdown on sexual misconduct within the U.S. maritime industry by the U.S. Coast Guard. In July 2022 U.S. Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer announced that the Coast Guard was investigating at least 20 concurrent sexual misconduct cases involving USCG-credentialed mariners, and Robinson’s case, which was filed less than two months later, was likely one of those 20 cases referenced by Neubauer.
This story will be updated when further records relating to the case are obtained by MLAA.