posted March 28, 2007
A 42-year-old "man" charged with the statutory rape of a 15-year-old Hamilton County girl has turned out to be a woman.
Prosecutor Boyd Patterson said after Alexander David Cross was in the Hamilton County Jail for about 10 days in January, it was noticed while she was taking a shower that she was actually a female.
He said Ms. Cross was immediately moved to "female isolation."
Ms. Cross entered a guilty plea to felony statutory rape Wednesday morning before Criminal Court Judge Rebecca Stern.
She approved a plea agreement in which Ms. Cross gets a suspended two-year sentence. She will be on probation for six years.
She must register as a sex offender and have no contact with the victim.
Also, she must get her driver's license changed so that it lists her as a female instead of a male.
Prosecutor Patterson said the young girl fell in love with Ms. Cross, thinking she was a man.
He said Ms. Cross committed oral sex on the victim.
The prosecutor said the young girl was "stunned" when she was told the defendant is actually a woman.
He said the girl at that point "just wanted this over with."
The prosecutor said the defendant was due in court earlier, but did not show up after sending a letter saying she was gone to Florida to take her dogs. She said she had been sent to jail before and her dogs had died.
But he said the defendant was located by County Det. Jimmy Clift hiding in an attic. She has been in jail since that time.
The prosecutor said the defendant was told to stay away from the girl at a hearing in Juvenile Court last August, but he said the defendant "kept coming around" and gave the girl a ring.
Prosecutor Patterson said a birth certificate was found that lists Ms. Cross as a female.
Her given name then was Elaine Ann Cross, but it was later changed to Alexander David Cross.
Judge Stern asked the defendant how she should address her, and she said she should be called "Alex."
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