Jamaican Citizen Charged with Sexual Abuse of 19-Year-Old Woman in Yosemite National Park

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury has indicted Danavon Caine, 36, a citizen of Jamaica who was working in Yosemite National Park on a seasonal visa, charging him with two counts of sexual abuse against a 19-year-old co-worker, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, at the time of the assault, Caine was employed as a chef in Yosemite National Park and working on a seasonal H-2B Visa. During this time, Caine allegedly sexually abused his 19-year-old female co-worker in the late evening hours of Friday, July 17, 2026. The woman reported the assault to both a neighbor and a friend that night, and then to law enforcement the next day. Caine was arrested on July 31, 2026, and has been ordered detained pending trial.

This case was the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Eric Catto are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Caine faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.