The prime suspect in the death of 13-year-old Florida girl Madeline Soto is facing 60 new charges, according to the state attorney’s office.
Stephan Sterns, 37, was interviewed by police when the teen went missing on Feb. 26 and was arrested days later, after detectives found images on his cell phone that were “criminal and sexual in nature” including images of “the missing juvenile,” an affidavit stated.
Sterns was first charged with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, but court documents filed Monday noted numerous other images were discovered.
It was also determined that his abuse dated back to 2019, when the victim — the daughter of Soto’s girlfriend — was under age 12, NBC News reported.
Sterns was newly slapped with numerous counts of sexual battery on a child, molestation and possession of child pornographic images, State Attorney Andrew Bain said in a statement.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Sterns is “the prime suspect” in Madeline’s case, though he’s yet to be charged in connection with her death.
The 13-year-old’s body was found in a wooded area in Osceola County on March 1, and Sterns was the last person to see her alive the day she disappeared, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.
Sterns is being held in Osceola County Jail, awaiting his arraignment on April 2.
