Defendant Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sextortion of Missouri Teen

Alexander Gardiner, 25, of Providenciales, was sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for the sextortion of a Missouri teen.

Gardiner pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November. He met a 15-year-old Missouri boy via Snapchat and repeatedly harassed the minor via iMessage, Facebook, and WhatsApp, threatening to send explicit images to the victim’s family and friends if the victim did not continue to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for Gardiner.

Gardiner also admitted possessing multiple videos of teenage boys masturbating that he’d obtained via Snapchat. While pretending to be female, he directed an as-yet-unidentified 14-year-old to produce CSAM in 2021. Gardiner posted CSAM on Twitter and exchanged CSAM in a Telegram group that targeted minors.

Gardiner has used usernames that contain the words “noahmonn” and “jewelsbaits.” Anyone who believes they may have been targets of a sextortion attempt by Gardiner or others should contact local law enforcement or the FBI. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has resources available for sextortion victims, including videos and discussion guides to help explain the problem to children and adults.

The FBI investigated the case with the assistance of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Gardiner’s sentence is a result of his guilty plea to coercion and enticement of a minor. His crime is a serious offense that has severe consequences for victims. The sentencing of Gardiner serves as a warning to those who engage in similar behavior.