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ST. LOUIS, MO – Alexander Gardiner, 25, is heading to federal prison for two decades after pleading guilty to preying on a Missouri teenager. Judge Joshua Divine handed down the 240-month sentence Thursday, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
Gardiner, a dual citizen of the US and Turks and Caicos, snared his victim – a 15-year-old boy – on Snapchat. He coaxed the teen into sending him nude photos, then flipped the script, using the images as leverage to demand more explicit content. Gardiner threatened to expose the photos to the victim’s family and friends if he didn’t comply.
The investigation revealed Gardiner wasn’t stopping at one victim. He admitted to possessing videos of other teenage boys engaged in sexual acts, obtained through Snapchat. In 2021, posing as a female online, he directed a 14-year-old to create CSAM. Gardiner wasn’t just collecting it; he was actively spreading it, posting child sexual abuse material on Twitter and sharing it within a Telegram group known for targeting minors.
Authorities are warning that Gardiner operated under the usernames “noahmonn” and “jewelsbaits”. If you believe you or someone you know may have been targeted, contact your local police or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov. The CyberTipline (cybertipline.org) is also a valuable resource.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers resources for victims of sextortion and guides for parents – details available here.