A Tiverton man has been sentenced in federal court for enticing and transporting a 13-year-old girl from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island for criminal sexual activity, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
William C. Stewart, 22, received a sentence of 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. also ordered Stewart to pay $5,000 in restitution to the victim and her family. Stewart pleaded guilty on April 1, 2024, to charges including enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Court documents show that Stewart began communicating with the minor through Snapchat on June 17, 2021, and learned she was 13 years old early in their conversations. He persuaded her to participate in unlawful sexual activity during these communications.
Stewart admitted that on June 30, 2021, he picked up the girl outside her home at night and drove her toward his residence in Tiverton, Rhode Island. The route included travel through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. While en route, they stayed at a hotel in New London, Connecticut where Stewart engaged in sexual activity with the minor and provided her drugs. After arriving in Rhode Island, he continued engaging in sexual acts with the victim.
Upon reaching his family's residence on July 4, 2021, Stewart introduced the girl using a false name and claimed she was 19 years old. On July 7, the girl contacted a friend via Snapchat seeking help; this led Tiverton Police to locate her at Stewart's home.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys G. Michael Seaman and Denise M. Barton.
The investigation involved the FBI as well as police departments from Tiverton and Pennsylvania.
