Posted on: Friday, May 2, 2003

Cruise passenger held without bail

Advertiser Staff

The 20-year-old California woman accused of leaving threatening notes in an apparent attempt to force a cruise ship back to port was ordered held without bail yesterday. Her parents, who are back in California, did not offer to put up a property bond.

Kelley Marie Ferguson of Laguna Hills, Calif., is charged with two felony counts of threatening acts of terrorism. The notes were left aboard the ship Legend of the Seas, which was on a cruise from Ensenada, Mexico, to Hawai'i.

After the notes were found, the ship was diverted from its scheduled port of call on the Big Island to an anchorage off Honolulu.

Ferguson reportedly wanted the ship to return to Ensenada so she could be with her boyfriend.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson told Magistrate Kevin S.C. Chang yesterday that Ferguson should be detained because of her level of "immaturity, insecurity and instability."

A trial date has not yet been set. If convicted, Ferguson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.