Mississippi businessman convicted for molesting young girl in Stone County

It took a jury 35 minutes to return a guilty verdict this week in a child molestation case involving a Stone County businessman.

Michael Alexander, of Brooklyn, was convicted of one count of touching a child for lustful purposes, District Attorney W. Crosby Parker said Friday in a press release.

The 67-year-old man molested the victim over a period of a year when the girl was 14 and 15 years old, according to the release.

The victim testified in Stone County Circuit Court that Alexander was a family friend who used to take her hunting, fishing and to baseball games. She testified that those events would lead to her being molested by Alexander at his home on Key Street in Wiggins and his business on Thelma Andrews Road, the release said.

The jury also saw copies of text messages Alexander sent the victim and heard recordings where the victim admitted to molesting the victim, according to the release.

“The victim in this case showed courage and strength in coming forward to report these crimes,” Parker said in the press release. “Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals who prey on children.”

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell and Jeremy Necaise prosecuted the case in front of Circuit Court Judge Lisa Dodson.

Sentencing for Alexander is set for June 27 in Biloxi.