| Transgendered Rape Case Bound Over To Grand Jury | | | By SABRINA BATES
Chief Staff Writer
The unusual story of a woman living as a man who has been charged twice, and convicted once on statutory rape charges in Hamilton County will appear in Weakley County’s next session of the Grand Jury in January.
“Bound over to the grand jury” was the determination made Wednesday by Weakley County General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore in the case against a Martin woman who has made national headlines living as a man.
Alexander David Cross, 43, of Snyder Road in Martin will face a Weakley County Grand Jury in January for his/her alleged sexual involvement with a 16 year old. While Cross has officially changed her name from Elaine to Alexander, she is biologically female and this is not the first time that Cross has been accused of preying on a minor.
She made national news when she was arrested in Chattanooga in March and booked and charged as a man. The Associated Press reported Cross’ true gender came out when she was made to take a shower after 10 days in custody.
She was immediately moved to female isolation in the Hamilton County, according to a report by Associated Content.
Not only did Cross manage to deceive officers at the jail, reports cite her victim had no idea “he” was actually a “she” and at one point contemplated marrying Cross.
She pled guilty to a charge of aggravated statutory rape. As part of her plea bargain, Cross was forced to change the gender on her driver’s license back from male to female and she received a suspended two-year sentence. Cross was also placed on probation for six years. She was added to the registry of Tennessee sex offenders.
History has repeated itself as Cross faces another charge of aggravated statutory rape for her alleged involvement with a minor 27 years younger than her. She was arrested in November by the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department after investigators suspected she provided false information when registering as a sex offender in Weakley County.
A recent affidavit cited Cross admitted to investigators that she had oral sex with a 16 year old in the victim’s home on at least two to four occasions.
According to WCSD Inv. Marty Plunk, Cross has only been in Weakley County since late August or early September. The registered sex offender’s most recent conviction stems from a violation of the sex offender registry in Hamilton County April 4 of this year.
A Hamilton County court case disposition dated June 22, 2007 shows Cross pled guilty to the Class E felony charge of violation of sexual offender registry and was sentenced to one year with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
The sentence was suspended on good behavior after she served 90 days consecutive to her earlier conviction of aggravated statutory rape.
While Hamilton County has not violated Cross’ probation or plea agreement as of yet, her recent charge could leave her facing the remainder of her suspended Hamilton County sentence as well as additional time in prison with a felony conviction of aggravated statutory rape in Weakley County.
Cross is being held in isolation at the Weakley County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. | | | | |
