A Pierce County man and registered sex offender has been arrested in connection with an undercover Washington State Patrol (WSP) investigation into child exploitation and human trafficking. Prosecutors said he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Last month, investigators with the WSP Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF) posed as a 13-year-old girl and communicated online with 38-year-old Marquercus Gant, who they said wanted to meet the girl and pay her for sex.
WSP said Gant is a registered sex offender with a prior arrest history in Arkansas.
Gant was arrested Friday as he waited in his car for what he thought would be a meeting with the 13-year-old girl, according to authorities.
WSP Sgt. Jason Greer of the MECTF led the case. He told KIRO Newsradio his current job is the most rewarding position he has ever had in his career.
“It’s nice because a large portion of our job working crimes against children is reactive in nature,” Greer said. “So we kind of pick up the pieces after someone comes in and tears down the castle. And for us, this is our one opportunity to become proactive and actually go out there and stop people before they can actually commit a crime against a child.”
Potential life sentence for Pierce County sex offender
Pierce County prosecutors have charged Gant with attempted second-degree rape of a child, attempted commercial sex abuse of a minor, and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
Bail was set at $750,000.
Based on his criminal history, which Greer said includes sexual misconduct with a 5-year-old, Gant could get life in prison without parole if he is convicted on the attempted second-degree rape of a child charge.
There may be more victims
Investigators believe there may be additional victims.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the task force by calling (360) 704-2397 or emailing [email protected].
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
