Steven Payne Facing Life in Prison After Guilty Verdict in Florida, Sparked by V.I. Consortium Exposé Uncovering Sexual Abuse Allegations

The conviction of former at-large Senator Steven Payne Sr. in a Florida court on Wednesday marks the culmination of a years-long saga that began with exclusive investigative reporting by the V.I. Consortium, which first exposed multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations against Payne.

The Consortium’s coverage, beginning in April 2022, revealed complaints from a young female staffer and two other women—Chezni Jones and Steffi Emilien—who detailed allegations of abuse spanning from Payne’s time as a V.I. Police Department officer through his tenure as a legislator. The revelations triggered a Senate ethics investigation, Governor Albert Bryan’s call for a V.I. Department of Justice inquiry, and Payne’s expulsion from the 34th Legislature.

That reporting—later corroborated through criminal proceedings—laid the foundation for the Florida case that ended Wednesday, when a Jacksonville jury found Payne guilty of sexual battery on a minor after a three-day trial.

Jury Finds Payne Guilty After Three-Day Trial

A Florida jury found Payne guilty of one count of sexual battery on a minor following a three-day proceeding in the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in Jacksonville.

According to WTJX Trial Watch coverage of the courtroom proceedings, the six-member panel, comprised of three women and three men appearing primarily in their thirties, reached its decision after about three hours of deliberation.

The former senator—once a police officer and later a public official expelled from the 34th Legislature—stood motionless as the verdict was read aloud. His mother and sister wept quietly, while the victim, Steffi Emilien, maintained her composure.

Emilien later told reporters that the moment represented long-awaited relief after years of waiting and emotional strain. “I was very nervous, like my legs were shaking,” she said. “I was trembling.”

A Long Fight for Justice  ...READ MORE https://viconsortium.com/vi-investigations/virgin-islands-steven-payne-facing-life-in-prison-after-guilty-verdict-in-florida--sparked-by-v-i--consortium-expos--uncovering-sexual-abuse-allegations

From the witness stand, Emilien described the verdict as a shared victory—one not just for herself but for others who had endured similar trauma. She said she and other young women who once knew Payne had always been truthful about what occurred.

“We know this guy like the back of our hand, and I literally had to live with him for years, and I had to be in the band dealing with everything,” she said.

Speaking directly to those who supported her through the process, Emilien continued: “It was really hard for us, and I just hope that whoever was on our side, I hope you’re smiling right now. I hope you’re celebrating. This was a big win for us, and we can finally continue our healing process.”

Alongside Emilien’s testimony, jurors also heard from Chezni Jones, who recounted an encounter from 2005, when Payne was a Virgin Islands Police Department officer and her mentor. Jones told the court that Payne lured her to a beach under the pretext of showing her defensive tactics and then attempted to make her touch him inappropriately before she escaped.