Jail time suspended in first local ‘revenge porn’ case
(CNS): A local man has been sentenced to around six months in jail, suspended for two years, in the Cayman Islands’ first case of ‘revenge porn’ to reach the court house. Magistrate Kirstyann Gunn was the first member of the judiciary required to sentence anyone for such a conviction after Brandon Alejandro Ledgister admitted posting explicit pictures of his girlfriend on a public social media page after they split up.
The couple broke up in February 2024. However, during the relationship, the woman had sent Ledgister explicit pictures of herself, and over a two-day period in March 2024, he posted them in a pictorial collage on an Instagram page he had created. His former lover was alerted to the pictures by friends and family members, and she then reported it to the police.
Soon after he was charged, Ledgister pleaded guilty to using an ICT network to abuse. Despite his ultimate admission, the court found he had denied committing the offence during interviews with the probation service and had accused the victim of posting the pictures herself.
“This lack of acknowledgement of wrongdoing demonstrates that this defendant has no true remorse and is in fact still in total denial of his culpability,” the magistrate stated in her sentencing ruling. “It is clear from the very acts that the defendant intended to cause maximum distress to the complainant.”
The court also noted that Ledgister had downloaded specific software to help him create the collage, demonstrating some planning. In the immediate aftermath of the offence, the woman reported feeling fear, anxiety, persistent harassment, disrespect and overwhelming feelings of embarrassment, all adding to the aggravating circumstances of the case.
The magistrate began with a fifteen-month jail term. Taking his guilty plea into consideration, as well as several mitigating circumstances, including his youth, immaturity and efforts to rehabilitate, she reduced the prison term to 29 weeks, which she suspended for two years with conditions.
Ledgister was ordered to undertake programmes and counselling as directed by his probation officer and to complete 180 hours of community service within the first year of the suspended sentence. She also banned him from contacting his former girlfriend in any way during the two-year probation period and from posting any words or images about her on any social media platform.
Ledgister was also fined $1,500 and banned from driving for a year in connection with an unrelated traffic offence. The young man had taken and driven his father’s unlicensed vehicle without consent and was stopped by police.
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Florida law, specifically Florida Statute 784.049, addresses online harassment related to sexually explicit images, often referred to as “sexual cyberharassment” or revenge porn. It’s a crime to publish or disseminate such images online without consent, with the intent to cause substantial emotional distress. The law also covers the expectation of privacy regarding sexually explicit images taken with consent. Penalties for violating this law can range from misdemeanor charges with potential jail time and fines, to felony charges with more severe consequences.
A key element of the offense is the intent to cause substantial emotional distress. This means the person publishing the image must have intended for the victim to suffer emotional harm as a result.
Consequences:
Depending on the circumstances and prior offenses, a person found guilty of sexual cyberharassment could face:
A first-degree misdemeanor (first offense), potentially leading to up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
A third-degree felony (second or subsequent offense), which can result in up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Law enforcement officers can make an arrest for sexual cyberharassment without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe the crime has been committed
Another example of Caymanians’ Christian morals
I see no reason to suspend his sentence, this is happening too often these days and only serves to attract similar offences.
Stay away from Cayman men n Jamaican men married to Cayman woman..
Ledgister is not from here.
Why not to date locals
This is why you crop your face out. Daaah
Deportation order?
To where? East End???
To whatever country is represented by his nationality at birth, if not Cayman. Does anyone even check to see if its an option?
Based on the sentences (or lack thereof) that McBeater received for his behavior, are we really surprised?
The judge should have made him strip naked, have him take some nude selfies, then sent to all his contacts, plus posted to his socials for 1 week minimum.
Then, he may understand the issue a bit better.
As for the victim. Man, kids are warned about images being ‘forever’ once sent. I guess she missed school all those days.
Yes, with one modification to your punishment:
It should have been quite cold when his photos were taken.
No thanks!