Judge Dismisses Navy Engineer's Rape Lawsuit, Says Alleged Assault by Captain Was Work Injury

A civilian Navy engineer's lawsuit over an alleged rape aboard a military transport ship was ultimately dismissed after the US Labor Department determined that her claim fell within the federal workers' compensation system.

Elsie Dominguez, 35, had spent years trying to pursue legal action after she said she was raped in her own bed aboard the USNS Carson City in December 2021.

A federal judge initially stayed her lawsuit in June 2024 while the Labor Department determined whether the alleged assault was covered by the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA). The department subsequently determined that FECA applied to her claim.

The outcome effectively means the case must be treated through the federal workers' compensation system rather than as a separate civil lawsuit. Dominguez, a civilian engineer with Military Sealift Command and a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve, said the decision ended her attempt to seek accountability through the courts.

'I've lost a lot of sleep, I've lost a lot of friends who didn't agree with what I was doing in coming forward,' Dominguez said. 'I learned that I had to set a precedent legally so that this could be used in the future.'

Alleged Assault Aboard Navy Transport Ship

Dominguez was working as a first assistant engineer aboard the USNS Carson City, an expeditionary fast transport vessel, when the alleged assault happened.She said the ship's captain used a master access code to enter her private stateroom overnight and raped her while she was in bed.

The Coast Guard later alleged that she was physically incapable of declining participation in or communicating unwillingness to engage in the sexual act.

Dominguez reported the alleged attack the next morning using the proper reporting procedures, according to her lawsuit. She sued the federal government in 2023, accusing the Navy of failing to protect her and provide adequate care after she came forward.

Her complaint alleged negligence under the Jones Act and unseaworthiness under general maritime law.

Lawyer Says Rape Should Not Be Workers' Comp

Dominguez's lawyer, Christine Dunn, said the outcome showed how badly existing systems can fail survivors in maritime and military-adjacent workplaces. Dunn said workers' compensation is meant for injuries such as falls, shipboard accidents or physical harm sustained while performing duties.

Dominguez had experienced those kinds of injuries before, including a dislocated shoulder and being slammed into a wall when a ship rolled. 'That is very different from being raped in your sleep in your bed,' Dunn said. 'That should not be workers' comp.'

She added that even without winning the case, Dominguez's decision to fight still mattered. 'Things don't change unless someone's willing to fight,' Dunn said.

Search for Care Became Another Struggle

After the alleged assault, Dominguez continued living in the same room for nearly two years, though she was eventually allowed to install a deadbolt.

She said finding consistent therapy was difficult because state licensing rules limited where providers could treat patients, while military hotlines referred her to overseas bases where she was not assigned.

'I wasn't afforded the chance to be on land and to just walk into a therapist's office,' she said.

Dominguez later took a year of unpaid leave to recover and focus on the lawsuit. Her health insurance was paused during that period, adding to the financial strain.

Captain Surrenders Merchant Mariner Credential

The captain, Yamil Sanchez Padilla, was removed from the ship and placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation, according to earlier reporting and court records. Military Sealift Command later removed him from federal service.

Coast Guard prosecutors filed an administrative sexual misconduct and sexual assault complaint against him in February 2025. Sanchez Padilla subsequently voluntarily surrendered his Merchant Mariner Credential, and the Coast Guard withdrew its complaint without a hearing or findings on the merits.

Records from the Military Sealift Command proceedings show Sanchez Padilla acknowledged having sexual intercourse with Dominguez on the night in question but maintained that the encounter was consensual and attributed it to alcohol consumption.

His voluntary credential surrender did not constitute an admission of the Coast Guard's allegations. Now working aboard the USS Lewis B. Puller, Dominguez said the publicity around her case has made an already isolating career even lonelier.

'There's less opportunity for any type of bonding or camaraderie,' she said. 'It's a lonelier world than it already was.'