The Maryland man who raped a 17-year-old girl aboard a Carnival cruise ship was a college football star who had a history of sexually assaulting girls.
Jalen Thomas Kelley, 22, was a running back at Wingate University in North Carolina when he was arrested in September 2023 for the rape of the minor. The State informs.
Prosecutors had said he met the 17-year-old aboard the Carnival Legend after a New Year’s Eve party earlier that year, and took her back to his cabin when she needed to use the bathroom.
When she later came out, Kelley pushed her onto the bed “face-first” and raped her, the prosecutor said in court documents obtained by The State.
“After raping her, Kelley asked, ‘Are you okay?'” the federal complaint reads.
At that point, the teenager left her room, and after the ship returned to a Baltimore port and she and her family returned to their home in Virginia, the girl reported the rape to her parents and the police.
She was later examined at a local hospital, where doctors discovered she had bruising on her right arm and shin, as well as “vaginal abrasions, tears and bruises,” according to court documents.
But Kelley later denied sexually assaulting the teen when FBI agents arrived at Wingate to question him about the girl’s claims.
Jalen Thomas Kelley, 22, was a running back at Wingate University in North Carolina when he was arrested in September 2023 for raping a 17-year-old girl on a Carnival cruise ship.
When news of her arrest spread, another student claimed that Kelley also raped her.
Instead, he claimed he and the girl kissed and touched each other outside her room, before letting her use the bathroom.
Kelley also noted that he thought she was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
“Kelley saw that she was intoxicated (by his own admission), realized she was vulnerable, and offered to take her to the bathroom,” court documents state.
“He took full advantage of the situation,” prosecutors argued.
They also claimed that she was not Kelley’s only victim.
In fact, when news of the college athlete’s arrest spread on campus, another student spoke out and claimed that Kelley also raped her, according to The State.
There was an outstanding warrant for his arrest in connection with that case in November 2023, but it is unclear if he was ever arrested in that case.
Still, prosecutors alleged in court documents that “Kelley has an alarming history of sexual assault allegations by men and women spanning from early 2017 to September 2023.”
Kelley was ultimately found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and territorial jurisdiction battery. He now faces life in prison.
Prosecutors said he invited a 17-year-old girl to his cabin on the Carnival Legend (pictured) after a New Year’s Eve party to let her use the bathroom, after which he pushed her onto the bed “face-first” and raped
Over the course of his two-week trial, jurors also heard from six people who accused Kelley of sexually assaulting them on different occasions, as prosecutors noted he was convicted in 2019 as a juvenile in a separate sexual assault case.
Kelley was ultimately found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and territorial jurisdiction battery. He now faces life in prison.
‘Sexual violence is a terrible violation of personal autonomy and will not be tolerated. We will hold perpetrators accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. he said after the ruling.
“This verdict should send a message to survivors that they are strong, validated and supported,” he said.
William J. DelBagno, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Baltimore, added that the office “will never stop working to bring justice to victims of predators like Mr. Kelley, no matter where the crime occurs.”
“Today’s sentencing reflects the FBI’s unwavering determination to protect our communities and keep Americans safe.”