Assistant Cruise Director Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

TAMPA—United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Senad Djedovic (29, Bosnia and Herzegovina) to nine years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Djedovic to forfeit a number of computers and hard drives that he used to facilitate the crime. Djedovic pleaded guilty on June 18, 2012.

According to court documents, Djedovic was employed by Norwegian Cruise Lines from 2005 through early March 2012. Most recently, he was the assistant cruise director on the Norwegian Star, which departed the Port of Tampa in January of this year for a seven-day cruise. While aboard the cruise, Djedovic became acquainted with a 16-year-old female passenger and engaged in sexual activity with her aboard the ship.

After the minor departed the vessel, Djedovic exchanged e-mails with her and asked that she send him sexually explicit photographs of herself. At his request, the minor e-mailed Djedovic a number of photographs containing sexually explicit images of her. Co-workers aboard the vessel reported Djedovic to Norwegian Security after he showed them sexually explicit images of the minor and told them she was 16 years old. Cruise line officials contacted the FBI and a search of Djedovic’s personal computers revealed that he also possessed other videos and images of minors engaging in explicit sexual activity.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.

It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”