The partner of the mother of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, the Florida girl recently discovered deceased in a wooded area, is now slammed with 60 additional charges ranging from sexual battery to possession of child pornography, authorities reported on Tuesday.
Stephan Sterns, 37, previously labeled as the "prime suspect" in Madeline’s disappearance by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, was slapped with fresh charges on Monday, as stated by the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in a news release.
He has not been formally charged in connection with the girl's demise.
Madeline’s mother notified authorities on February 26 after realizing she had not returned home from school.
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Sterns was apprehended on February 28 on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material after investigators uncovered disturbing content on his phone.
Despite claiming to have accidentally reset his phone the day Madeline vanished, forensic examination revealed incriminating images, leading to his arrest.
Subsequent investigation uncovered further evidence, resulting in additional charges, including eight counts of sexual battery on a child under 12, five counts of sexual battery with a child aged 12 to 18 (familial/custodial authority), seven counts of lewd or lascivious molestation, and 40 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child with 10 or more images.
Court documents indicate that the crimes date back to 2019, with several offenses occurring when the victim was under 12 years old.
State Attorney Andrew A. Bain commended the collaboration with the Kissimmee Police Department, the lead agency in the murder investigation, and emphasized their commitment to building a strong case against Sterns.
Sterns, currently detained in the Osceola County Jail, is scheduled for arraignment on April 2.
The public defender's office has not provided a comment, and it remains unclear whether Sterns has obtained legal representation.
Authorities believe Madeline was killed in Kissimmee, where her family resided, and that Sterns relocated her body on February 26.
Madeline’s remains were discovered on March 1, with details surrounding her death yet to be disclosed.
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