Cherise King, St. Croix YRC Teacher, Faces 15 Years in Prison for Alleged Sexual Abuse of a Minor

ST. CROIX — United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced on Wednesday that an indictment has been unsealed by the District Court, charging Cherise King, a 39-year-old paraprofessional teacher at St. Croix Youth Rehabilitation Center (YRC), with a single count of sexual abuse of a ward or minor. If convicted, King could face a maximum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The indictment alleges that between September 9 and September 15, 2022, King engaged in sexual acts with a male juvenile detainee, over the age of 12 but under the age of 16, who had been incarcerated at the YRC, a youth detention facility. King's role at the center as a paraprofessional teacher placed her in a position of trust and authority over the minors in her care. The case is being jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department, with A...