Steven Payne Facing Life in Prison After Guilty Verdict in Florida, Sparked by V.I. Consortium Exposé Uncovering Sexual Abuse Allegations

The conviction of former at-large Senator Steven Payne Sr. in a Florida court on Wednesday marks the culmination of a years-long saga that began with exclusive investigative reporting by the V.I. Consortium, which first exposed multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations against Payne. The Consortium’s coverage, beginning in April 2022, revealed complaints from a young female staffer and two other women—Chezni Jones and Steffi Emilien—who detailed allegations of abuse spanning from Payne’s time as a V.I. Police Department officer through his tenure as a legislator. The revelations triggered a Senate ethics investigation, Governor Albert Bryan’s call for a V.I. Department of Justice inquiry, and Payne’s expulsion from the 34th Legislature. That reporting—later corroborated through criminal proceedings—laid the foundation for the Florida case that ended Wednesday, when a Jacksonville jury found Payne guilty of sexual battery on a minor after a three-day trial. Jury Finds Payne ...