Hancock man sentenced for child sex crimes. ‘This cannot be allowed to stand’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Minor, 12, forgives Hancock County man before child sex crime sentencing.
- Drew Gallardo pleaded guilty to two counts of child exploitation in plea deal.
- Judge cited Gallardo’s troubled past but stressed accountability for his actions.
A Circuit judge Monday sentenced a Hancock County man to 50 years in prison, but suspended all but eight years for him to serve for sex crimes against two minors, then age 12.
At the time of the crimes, Drew Emile Gallardo, now 20, was temporarily staying at the Harrison County home of one of the girls.
Gallardo had been charged in a 10-count indictment with two counts of statutory rape, five counts of touching a child for lustful purposes, and three counts of child exploitation.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of child exploitation. In exchange for his pleas, prosecutors passed on prosecuting the remaining charges.
Before sentencing, Circuit Judge Lisa Dodson summarized a letter submitted to the court by one of the minor victims.
In it, the girl said she knew what Gallardo had done to her was wrong, but she didn’t want what happened to define her life or that of her offender.
She also told the judge that she thought Gallardo was a good person at heart but had a terrible upbringing that likely contributed to his actions later in life.
“She knew you grew up without real love,” Dodson said. “She doesn’t think you were given the tools to fully understand your choices...”
As a child, state officials took custody of Gallardo because of conditions at his own family home that included his mother’s arrest and subsequent conviction for her own sex crimes offense.
“You have had a very tumultuous, difficult childhood at best,” the judge told Gallardo after he apologized to the victims for his crimes. “That's not who you always have to be. You are now a young man, and you have an option to go your own way.”
But, the judge also scolded Gallardo before sentencing him.
“You knew these girls were underage,” Dodson said. “You knew this was inappropriate, and this is something you talked them into. There has to be an answering for those things. This just cannot be allowed to stand.”
In addition to prison, the judge fined Gallardo and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Before sentencing, Gallardo’s attorney, Angela Broun, asked the judge to consider his background and his remorse for the crimes.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Daniel prosecuted the case.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department investigated the crimes.
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 12:37 PM.