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ST. LOUIS – Alexander Gardiner, 25, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Turks and Caicos, will spend the next two decades in a federal prison after pleading guilty to coercing and exploiting a 15-year-old Missouri boy. Judge Joshua Divine handed down a 240-month sentence Thursday, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
The case unfolded after Gardiner connected with the teen on Snapchat. What started as seemingly innocuous contact quickly turned predatory. Gardiner repeatedly pressured the boy into sending nude photos, falsely promising it would end the harassment. Instead, Gardiner escalated, using iMessage, Facebook, and WhatsApp to threaten the teen with public exposure if he didn’t produce more explicit images – child sexual abuse material, or CSAM.
Investigators found Gardiner wasn’t stopping at one victim. He admitted possessing CSAM obtained through Snapchat, and confessed to directing another 14-year-old, posing as a female, to create similar content back in 2021. Gardiner then broadcasted this material on Twitter and distributed it within a Telegram group specifically targeting minors.
Authorities are now urging anyone who may have interacted with Gardiner online – using usernames like “noahmonn” or “jewelsbaits” – and believes they may have been targeted to come forward. The FBI is handling the investigation.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sextortion, contact your local law enforcement, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report online at tips.fbi.gov or cybertipline.org.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers resources for victims and families.
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