Crewman accused of sexually harassing observer

From the U.S. attorney's office:

Nov. 24, 2010

Fisherman charged with sexual harassment of fisheries observer

ANCHORAGE — U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Mexican citizen was arrested and charged with sexual harassment of a National Marine Fisheries Service observer while on board a vessel; forcible sexual assault of a NMFS observer while on board a vessel; and interference with a NMFS observer while on board a vessel.

Victor D. Chavez-Ramirez, 28, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the United States, is charged in a three-count information.

On Nov. 18, Chavez-Ramirez was arrested in Dutch Harbor by special agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for sexual harassment of a NMFS observer.

At the defendant's arraignment on Nov. 22, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven E. Skrocki alleged that while a crewmember on the fishing vessel F/V Frontier Spirit, from August 2008 through October 2008, Chavez-Ramirez sexually harassed and assaulted the NMFS observer assigned to the vessel and those acts interfered with the observer's ability to collect fisheries data.

During the arraignment proceedings, U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith denied bail and set trial for Jan. 11, 2011, in Anchorage. Smith ordered that Chavez-Ramirez be detained due to his illegal immigration status and the fact that he had previously fled from a prior deportation matter in 2006 in Washington state.

NMFS, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation of this case.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.