KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Court TV) — Stephan Sterns, accused of sexually abusing and murdering his girlfriend’s young daughter, was absent from court as his attorney asked for his upcoming trial to be delayed.
Stephan Sterns is accused of sexually abusing Madeline Soto, who was found dead days after her reported disappearance. (Kissimmee Police Department/Osceola County Sheriff’s Office)
Sterns was arrested last February after his girlfriend’s daughter, 13-year-old Madeline Soto, disappeared. During the investigation into her disappearance, police found more than 1,500 disturbing images and videos, going back years, which allegedly included media showing Soto being sexually abused. Sterns was charged with 60 counts related to sexual abuse of a minor and child pornography. Days later, when Soto’s body was found, he was also charged with her murder.
After his arrest, Sterns immediately waived his appearance at all pre-trial hearings and has not been seen in court for any hearing in either of his cases.
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Wednesday was scheduled to be Sterns’ final pre-trial hearing ahead of his trial for sex charges, which had been scheduled to begin on Feb. 24. Judge Keith Carsten, noting how long the case has stretched on, agreed to postpone the trial until spring because the defense has not had access to key evidence in the case.
Assistant State Attorney Danielle Pinnell told Judge Carsten that the defense has not yet been able to view the images and video at the center of the sex crimes case, evidence that can only be viewed at the prosecutor’s office because of the sensitive nature of what it contains. That appointment is currently scheduled for next month.
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Sterns’ attorneys have filed three motions seeking to suppress evidence seized in the case, accusing police of not following the proper procedures when they took Sterns’ cell phone into custody. Alesha Smith, Sterns’ attorney, said she did not want to schedule a date for those motions to be heard until she filed a fourth motion seeking to close the courtroom.
Sterns faces a potential death sentence if he is convicted in his murder trial, scheduled to begin on Sept. 22. His sex crimes trial is now scheduled to begin May 5.
