St. Croix Man Sentenced to 24 months for Attempted Coercion and Enticement for Illegal Sexual Activity

St. Croix, USVI – The United States Attorney, Gretchen C.F. Shappert, announced today that on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, Chief Judge Wilma Lewis sentenced Rashead Gerard, 24, of St. Croix, to 24 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment for attempted coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity.

According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on or about August12, 2019, Gerard responded to an ad posted online. A Homeland Security Investigations agent posed as the father of a female minor, who was looking for a tour guide to show her around for an hour or two. The defendant asked what the minor wanted to do, and the agent replied, "anything that you’re up for." The agent told the defendant that the minor was 14 and the defendant told the agent he would pay for 30 minutes to engage in sexual activity with the minor. They agreed to meet at the Fort in Frederiksted around 5:30 p.m. The defendant was arrested when he went to the agreed-upon location and condoms and money were found in his car.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.