Holland America employee arrested for allegedly possessing, transporting child pornography

A Holland America Line crew member was arrested on child pornography charges.

Law enforcement found sexually explicit images and photos of minors during a search of Koen Leonard Eyck’s electronic devices at Port Everglades upon his arrival on Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit signed by Homeland Security Investigations special agent Michelle Maglione. Eyck, 35, worked on the line’s Nieuw Statendam ship.

The affidavit did not specify his role onboard.

Child sexual abuse material featuring minors as young as between the ages of 4 and 6 was found in WhatsApp and Telegram chats on Eyck’s iPhone, the affidavit said. The Dutch citizen also allegedly paid $35 for links containing child pornography in March 2023.

Eyck admitted to law enforcement that he had paid for child sexual abuse material through PayPal, and received links through WhatsApp and Telegram as well as Facebook Messenger, according to the affidavit.

“He admitted to receiving links for child sex abuse material for the past 5-10 years,” the affidavit said. “Eyck stated that he knew that it is ‘illegal to possess child pornography all over the world.’”

He is charged with transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Attorneys listed for Eyck did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“These allegations are deeply disturbing, and we have zero tolerance for criminal behavior,” a Holland America spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “We are fully cooperating with law enforcement and immediately terminated the individual involved.”

The case is not the only one of its kind on cruise ships in recent months. Two Carnival Cruise Line crew members were arrested on child pornography charges in July, following the arrests of a Celebrity Cruises employee and three Disney Cruise Line crew members on similar charges between January and April.

Anthony Salisbury, special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations Miami, told USA TODAY in August that child exploitation is “significantly higher across the board,” not only in the cruise industry.

“If it’s up across the board, you’re going to see it up across the cruise ships,” he said at the time.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Holland America crew member arrested on child pornography charges