A St. George woman, Alexandria Marie Wright, has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for sexually abusing a preschool-aged child.
The 31-year-old had initially pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including aggravated sexual abuse of a child and production of child pornography.
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| Alexander Marie Wright in court |
How Did the Crimes Come to Light?
It all began in March 2024 when Martin Brandon Gillen, a 26-year-old man from Mesquite, Nevada, was arrested in Iola, Kansas, in connection with an unrelated kidnapping case.
During the criminal investigation, detectives discovered disturbing videos showing the sexual abuse of a young child.
The footage, which was recorded in October 2021, showed both Gillen and Alexandria Marie Wright engaging in sexual acts with a four-year-old.
Criminal investigations revealed that Gillen had traveled from Nevada specifically to meet Wright, and abuse the minor.
Wright later brought the child to a remote location in Washington County, where the abuse occurred.
Authorities only mentioned that Wright knew the victim and was close to her, but they did not clarify the exact nature of their relationship.
They also found evidence that Wright was the one who recorded the sexual abuse, which were later stored on Gillen’s phone.
After this discovery, the case was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Utah, leading to Wright’s arrest on August 24, 2024.
During her interrogation, Wright admitted involvement but claimed Gillen had blackmailed her to join in the abuse.
She claimed he threatened to release explicit videos of her if she refused to participate.
The discovery of these videos not only exposed Wright’s crimes but also linked Gillen to additional offenses, resulting in federal charges for both.
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| Martin Brandon Gillen |
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| Alexander Marie Wright Crying in court |
Justice for the Victim
Despite Alexandria Wright’s claims that she was blackmailed, prosecutors said that her actions were deliberate and devastating.
She later pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, and on June 12, 2025, Judge Keith C. Barnes of Utah's 5th District Court sentenced her to:
- 25 years to life for sodomy of a child
- 15 years to life for aggravated sexual abuse of a child
- 0–5 years for dealing in harmful materials to a minor.
At her sentencing hearing, Wright tearfully told the court, “I am very truly sorry for my involvement in this heinous crime. If I could go back and change what happened, I would give anything.”
But Judge Barnes was unmoved, stating, “You and your boyfriend took a four-year-old to hell and back.”
The victim's mother addressed the court during the hearing, stating her daughter had been a happy child before the abuse occurred in October 2021.
She described noticeable changes in the child's behavior immediately after the incident, including increased fear and anger.
For nearly three years, the family had no explanation for this transformation until criminal investigators uncovered the abuse
Meanwhile, Gillen, who is already serving a life sentence for an unrelated kidnapping, received an additional 95 years for his role in the abuse.
According to St George News, prosecutors described him as a violent sexual predator who manipulated his victims. .
They also emphasized that while the sentences provide legal closure, the psychological impact on the young victim will require ongoing support and therapy.
The court acknowledged the irreversible damage caused, with Judge Barnes noting the particular vulnerability of the preschool-aged victim.
Wright still faces federal charges, including conspiracy to produce child pornography, with a status hearing set for June 12, 2025.
While the sentencing of the culprits brings some closure, the child’s recovery will be a long journey.
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