Man indicted on domestic assault charge after incident at Mammoth Cave National Park

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. – A Bowling Green man is facing federal charges after a domestic assault at Mammoth Cave National Park.

According to a release, Rakan Elsalem, 39, was formally charged Oct. 11 with domestic assault.

Officials say that on May 1, Elsalem committed a domestic assault in the park, which is a place within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

Court records also show Elsalem as a habitual offender, with two prior convictions for assault offenses against a spouse or intimate partner in Warren County in 2020 and 2022.

If convicted for the May 1 assault at Mammoth Cave, Elsalem faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison without parole.

This case is being investigated by the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers.