Woman and man guilty of sharing sexual images can face $100,000 fine

A 33-year-old woman who posted and shared sexually explicit images of another woman online after accusing her of having an intimate relationship with her ex-boyfriend, is now facing the possibility of a $100,000 fine or a two year term of imprisonment, or both.

Zarrieta Zavisha Wilson of Ottley Hall, and Reno Roberts of Georgetown appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate, Tammika McKenzie, on October 14, 2024 where they pleaded guilty that on Whatsapp and Facebook respectively, they intentionally and without lawful excuse or justification and without the consent of the virtual complainant used a computer system to transmit sexually explicit images of the virtual complainant that contains personal identification information of her; and they distributed the sexually explicit images on Whatsapp.

Wilson also was charged that on Facebook ,she unlawfully published defamatory comments of the same virtual complainant.

The facts, which were read on November 28, stated that the virtual complainant has known Wilson for about one year. They were friends. On October 9, 2024 about 10:30 p.m, the complainant was on duty at her work place when Wilson approached and accused her of having an intimate relationship with her ex-boyfriend who is also the complainant’s coworker.

An argument ensued between them and Wilson threw beer in the complainant’s face in the presence of her ex-boyfriend.

On the following day at about 6:00 p.m, the complainant was at work when Wilson’s ex-boyfriend met her and informed her about nude photographs he received via WhatsApp from Wilson.

He then showed the photos to the complainant and she recognized her face and distinguishing marks like tattoos & piercings in some of the photos.

She was surprised to see the photos because her ex-boyfriend, Roberts had taken some of them without her knowledge while they were in a relationship.

Roberts had threatened to post the said photos on Facebook if the complainant ended the relationship with him. On October 10, 2024, about 12:25 a.m the complainant received several calls and messages from coworkers and family members who informed her that nude photos were posted on Wilson’s WhatsApp status.

The complainant also received screenshots of a Facebook post over which she felt hurt, embarrassed, violated, and feeling less of a woman.

She reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department.

Roberts told the court that “everybody makes mistakes…me nah hate nobody…I’m not a bad person”, and said that the complainant knows that he is not a bad person.

He told the court that he did not know Wilson before the incident, and sent her the images to prove that he used to “deal” with the complainant. However, he did not expect Wilson would share the images.

The complainant told the court she was “devastated” and raised her voice at Wilson, who was laughing quietly with her arms folded, stating that she had no right to share the images of her.

“I can’t feel good as a woman…” the complainant told the court, adding that she is constantly being harassed by men on the streets who make sexual and inappropriate comments.

Both Wilson and the virtual complainant had a heated exchange in the courtroom. When the virtual complainant finished giving her impact statement and seated herself in the court, Wilson looked back to where the virtual complainant was seated on several occasions and chuckled to herself quietly, then laughed out loud as she exited the courtroom after the Senior Magistrate released her on bail and allowed her to return to court on her own accord. However, Roberts was remanded in custody.

During their third court appearance on December 3, 2024 Senior Magistrate Mckenzie viewed the explicit images and defamatory statements that were posted online.

“You don’t think she now has a life sentence?” McKenzie asked the Wilson and Roberts, adding that the rest of the world now has access to these images.

The Senior Magistrate told the duo that she is leaning towards imposing both a fine and a custodial sentence. She remanded the in custody and they will be sentenced on December 16, 2024.

The maximum sentence that Wilson and Roberts can get for: (1), transmitting the images and (2), distributing them is a $100,000 fine or two years imprisonment or both, for each offence. The maximum sentence that Wilson can get for libel is a $50,000 fine or two years imprisonment, or both.