The Gazebo Gazette
BILOXI (GG) — On Thursday, May 15, Michael Ryan Gilbert, of Biloxi, Mississippi pled guilty today to one count of Sexual Battery and one count of Child Exploitation and was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Christopher Schmidt to a total of 50 years, 34 of those years will be served day-for-day in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, without the benefit of early release or parole.
According to Assistant District Attorney Mara Joffe, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State, on March 27, 2023, the Biloxi Police Department responded to Biloxi High School after a report that Gilbert had been sexually intimate with a minor child the day before.
“The victim reported the abuse to Biloxi High School staff the following morning and provided physical evidence to support the allegations,” said ADA Joffe. Upon further investigation, it was determined that Gilbert’s sexual abuse of the child was ongoing in nature, having gone on for nearly two years.
DNA analysis later confirmed the victim’s allegations, and upon Gilbert’s arrest in August of 2023, a subsequent search of Gilbert’s cell phone revealed a sexually explicit photo of the victim, multiple web searches for teen pornography, and numerous text message conversations unveiling Gilbert’s sexual and emotional manipulation of the victim.
Gilbert was set for jury trial the week of May 19, 2025. Assistant District Attorney Mara Joffe attributed Gilbert’s guilty plea to the bravery and persistence of the victim and the thorough investigation by Lead Investigator Caleigh Gillespie of the Biloxi Police Department.
During his plea, Gilbert apologized to the court, the victim, and his family. Subsequently, the judge sentenced Gilbert to 30 years for Sexual Battery (the maximum sentence), and 20 years for Child Exploitation, with each count running consecutive to one another for a total of 50 years, 16 years suspended, leaving 34 years to serve in the Mississippi Department of Corrections day-for-day.
“The courage it takes for a child to confront their abuser cannot be overstated. This young individual has faced the fear and uncertainty of the justice system with remarkable strength, spending countless hours working with our office to prepare for trial—never once wavering. The sentence handed down to the defendant reflects the seriousness of his actions and aims to ensure he will never have the chance to harm again. We hope it also marks a meaningful step in the victim’s healing journey, which she so deeply deserves. We are grateful to the school officials and the Biloxi Police Department for their dedicated efforts in securing vital evidence,” said District Attorney W. Crosby Parker.
