Moline man accused of sexually abusing child is formally charged in child porn case

MOLINE, Ill. – A Moline man, implicated in child porn charges against a Moline woman earlier this week, has now been formally charged in Rock Island County.

The man, Richard Gatewood III, 25, is facing one count of Child Pornography, a Class X Felony, and one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, a Class 2 Felony.

The woman, Simia Ayers, 20, is facing four counts of Child Pornography, a Class X Felony, and one count of Indecent Solicitation of Child, a Class 3 Felony.

Ayers is accused of soliciting a 16-year-old girl to have sex with Gatewood and then video recording him raping the girl.

Allegations.

DISCRETION IS ADVISED
This section includes graphic details involving sexual abuse of a child.

^{The victim, 16, will be referred to as JD (Jane Doe.)}

On Nov. 13, a 16-year-old girl, identified as JD, told staff at a Davenport hospital she was raped by Gatewood at Ayers’ home a couple days prior, court documents show.

Ayers allegedly helped JD get undressed and placed her on top of Gatewood for sexual intercourse, court documents show.

At the Child Advocacy Center, JD stated she tested positive for a sexually-transmitted disease and was at risk of being pregnant because of Gatewood’s actions during intercourse, court documents show.

JD also reported seeing Ayers with her cell phone out while Gatewood was raping her, court documents show.

A search warrant found multiple videos on Ayers’ iPhone showing JD having sex with a black man, court documents show.

In the longest video, the man, who the detective says has similar facial hair to Gatewood, is seen looking back at the camera, indicating he is aware of being recorded, court documents show.

On Dec. 16, Gatewood was arrested in Scott County and extradited to Rock Island County the following day, court records show.

On Dec. 18, Gatewood appeared in Rock Island County court where a judge denied pretrial release, court records show.

Criminal history.

Gatewood was found unfit to stand trial for now-dismissed 2022 charges of possessing a stolen vehicle, theft, criminal damage and trespass to vehicles. Furthermore, he had been on probation for a domestic battery conviction when the charges were filed, court records show.

A Petition to Revoke was filed in the wake of the probation violation but it was ultimately dismissed because Gatewood had been placed in custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services for mental health treatment, court records show.

Prosecutors claimed Gatewood’s history indicates, ‘his ability to comply with stringent pretrial conditions is less likely.’

Furthermore, prosecutors claimed house arrest with GPS monitoring would not, ‘reasonably protect the public, specifically being vulnerable, female minors, from being manipulated into coming over to [Gatewood’s home] and being sexually abused.’