A St. Louis man received a 30-year prison sentence for the attempted rape and first-degree sodomy of a 37-year-old woman at a local MetroLink station. According to a news release from the Circuit Attorney's Office, Dartarius Gibson, 39, approached the victim at the Convention Center MetroLink Station on April 18, 2023, under the guise of asking for directions, before assaulting her.
During her testimony, the victim detailed the harrowing incident as she tried to escape from Gibson on the train platform. Gibson had opted for a bench trial, which took place Monday morning before Judge Scott A. Millikan of the 22nd Circuit Court. Judge Millikan found Gibson guilty and handed down a sentence of 15 years for each count, to be served consecutively, summing up to the total of 30 years behind bars.
Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore commented on the severity of the case. "This assault is every woman's nightmare," he said, recognizing the efforts of the legal team involved. Assistant Circuit Attorneys Sydney Beecher and Lydia Stewart led the prosecution, providing crucial support to the victim to enable her to testify, as per Circuit Attorney's Office.
The support from the legal team for the victim was highlighted as a key element in securing the conviction. "Our team of attorneys and victim advocates did an outstanding job prosecuting the case while providing the strong support the victim needed to give her testimony at trial,” remarked Gore according to the official Circuit Attorney's Office news release.
