Breon Stacey Peace is an American lawyer who has served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York since October 2021.

In April of 2022 the Coast Guard Investigative Service made a criminal referral of the Captain John Merrone case to the U.S. Department of Justice, via the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York where Peace was in charge.

As CNN and Newsday reported, Peace declined to prosecute Merrone and allowed the mariner to avoid criminal liability for drugging two U.S. Merchant Marine Academy students aboard his vessel, attempting to sexually assault one of the young women, and raping the 2nd cadet.

Peace’s decision is one more in a long line of inaction on the part of the U.S. Department of Justice when it comes to protecting American mariners at sea.

Links to stories about Breon Peace:

1. MLAA: U.S. Attorney Breon Peace Declined to Prosecute Capt. John Merrone for Drugging 2 USMMA Cadets & Raping One. Now the USCG Says More Victims Have Come Forward & Peace is Changing his Story.

2. MLAA: Captain John Merrone Surrenders Captain’s License to Avoid Coast Guard Trial. Receives Permanent Lifetime Ban From U.S. Maritime Industry

3. Newsday: Coast Guard: Cargo ship captain accused of rape surrenders license

4. CNN: Ship captain allegedly drugged two students at sea, raped one of them

5. MLAA: Accused Serial Rapist Captain John Merrone Kicked Out of American Maritime Officers (AMO) Labor Union Following “Multiple Credible Allegations” Ashore & Aboard Vessels Under AMO Contract

6. MLAA: Maritime Insanity: Nine Months After Criminal Investigation Began, Midshipman-X’s Accused Rapist is Still Shipping From MEBA Union Halls & Working in the U.S. Merchant Marine