A cruise passenger, Dominic Weaver, was arrested in Miami, Florida, after disembarking a cruise ship just before Christmas, ending more than a decade of evading authorities for unpaid child support.
The 47-year-old Kentucky man reportedly owes over $100,000 in back payments and had multiple child support cases pending in Jefferson County.
He’s been on the run for around 10 years due to the money he owed. Authorities took Weaver into custody without incident.
The cruise line and specific ship he sailed on have not been disclosed, though it’s noted the cruise line was not involved in the arrest.
A news report shows a Carnival ship but it’s not been confirmed whether that was the cruise line he sailed with.
Investigations into passenger identification likely facilitated his capture, as the child support agents flew out from Louisville to Miami in order to apprehend Weaver.
Weaver has since been flown back to Louisville, where he awaits arraignment on January 6, 2025.
Cruise ship arrests highlight broader legal risks
Weaver’s arrest is one of several recent incidents involving cruise passengers being detained for legal issues.
In other cases, travellers have faced charges for crimes committed onboard or unrelated warrants discovered during disembarkation.
On MSC Magnifica in August 2024, four passengers were arrested for using fraudulent credit cards in the ship’s casino during a four-day Bahamas cruise.
Security quickly detected the scam, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection took the individuals into custody upon the ship’s return to Miami.
In a separate incident on MSC Seascape in October 2024, a mother and son were arrested following a heated altercation with an elderly passenger in the ship’s theatre shortly after departing PortMiami.
Similarly, in September 2024, a passenger aboard Freedom of the Seas was arrested after docking in Florida, accused of assaulting another guest during the voyage – though this one was apparently a case of mistaken identity.
Authorities are pushing for Weaver’s previous probation to be revoked, with potential prison time replacing it.
Meanwhile, guests embarking on cruises are reminded to adhere to legal and local regulations, as they may face consequences both domestically and abroad.
And if you owe huge sums of money, maybe taking a cruise (and getting your named flagged on authority IT systems) is a bad idea…
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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