N.Y. man pleads guilty to violent assault aboard cruise ship off Mass. coast

BOSTON — A New York man pleaded guilty on Friday to assaulting a woman aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Massachusetts.

Adam Panetta, 45, of Farmingville, pleaded guilty in federal court in South Boston to one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury.

Surveillance video from April 25 aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line's Gem captured Panetta pulling a woman by her hair down a hallway. The two were then seen outside one of the cabins.

When Panetta tried to open the cabin door, the woman smacked him in the face with an open hand.

Panetta then punched the woman twice in the side of her head with a closed face. The woman fell to the ground and appeared to be unconscious.

Panetta walked into the cabin and left the woman on the floor in the hallway. A minute later, he came out of the cabin and bent down toward the woman, who was unresponsive. Eventually, the woman started to crawl into the room.

Panetta didn't help her and kicked her in the buttocks twice as she made her way into the room. He then walked into the room behind her.

The pair left the room a little while later and the woman was holding a white towel over her head, which appeared to be stained with blood.

They went to the ship's medical center where the woman was treated for her injuries, which included approximately eight centimeters of swelling on the right side of her head as well as a two-and-a-half centimeter laceration that required five stitches.

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At the time of the assault, the ship was approximately 200 miles off the coast of Massachusetts.

Panetta was taken into custody when the ship arrived into the port of Boston.

The charge of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury allows for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

The judge scheduled Panetta's sentencing for January 8.

Cox Media Group