A St. Louis man is facing felony charges after police say he coaxed a 13-year-old girl into Missouri for sex. Authorities arrested 27-year-old Alexander D. Gassel on March 20 in the Bevo neighborhood after the victim arrived at a south-city address. Prosecutors have charged him with two counts of first‑degree statutory rape, and investigators say the alleged contact between Gassel and the girl began online.
According to FOX2, investigators say Gassel first messaged the girl on Snapchat. The two allegedly exchanged sexually explicit photos and videos, which a probable‑cause statement says he saved to his phone. Police allege the victim left her home and drove to the city to meet him, arriving on March 20 in the 3800 block of Eichelberger Street in the Bevo neighborhood, where they say the two had sex more than once. Officers arrested Gassel that same day, and prosecutors filed the two counts of first‑degree statutory rape.
What the charges mean in Missouri
Under Missouri law, first‑degree statutory rape applies when an adult has sexual intercourse with someone younger than 14 and is a felony punishable by a term of years that can be life or not less than five years, depending on aggravating circumstances, as outlined in FindLaw. A conviction can also trigger requirements such as sex‑offender registration and long‑term supervision. Those penalties give prosecutors room to seek substantial prison time if the case ends in a conviction.
Case status and public records
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office filed the charges, officials say, and the case will move through the 22nd Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Attorney’s website explains how to search case records, and the public can also look up dockets through Missouri’s Case.net portal. At the time of reporting, online court records did not list a next hearing for Gassel.
Online enticement and local context
Federal and local prosecutors have increasingly pursued cases where adults use social media to contact minors, including prosecutions under initiatives like Project Safe Childhood. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has highlighted similar prosecutions involving online enticement, in which initial chats on social platforms led to arrests and charges. Local officials urge parents and teens to preserve messages and report suspicious contacts to law enforcement.
