20 Years for T&C Predator

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ST. LOUIS, MO – Alexander Gardiner, 25, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Turks and Caicos, will spend the next two decades behind bars after being sentenced Thursday to 240 months for the relentless sextortion of a 15-year-old Missouri boy. Judge Joshua M. Divine also tacked on a lifetime of supervised release.

Gardiner snared the teen on Snapchat, grinding him down into sending explicit photos. Instead of backing off, Gardiner used the images as leverage – threatening to expose them to the boy’s family and friends unless he produced more child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The victim believed complying would end the harassment, but it only escalated.

The investigation revealed Gardiner wasn’t stopping with one victim. He admitted possessing CSAM obtained through Snapchat and, posing as a woman, directed a 14-year-old to create abuse material back in 2021. He actively spread the filth, posting CSAM on Twitter and sharing it within a Telegram group known for targeting minors.

Authorities are warning anyone who may have interacted with Gardiner – under the usernames “noahmonn” or “jewelsbaits” – to come forward. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sextortion, contact your local police or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov or cybertipline.org.

Resources are available for sextortion victims and their families through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): https://www.missingkids.org/