A former high school science teacher has been sentenced to 10 years in prison this week for his involvement in attempting to pay for sexual services from underage girls.
A press release from the Department of Justice announced that Sean Stevenson, a former science teacher at University City High School, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 5. This comes after he pleaded guilty on June 13.
Stevenson, 58, was taken into custody in October by an undercover officer. In a press release issued in June, the Department of Justice announced the arrest of Stevenson. According to the release, Stevenson was apprehended after he thought he had successfully arranged a meeting to engage in sexual activity with a 16-year-old girl, with the help of another person.
Surprisingly, the person Stevenson was messaging turned out to be an undercover officer who promptly apprehended him during their meeting.
The DOJ said that Stevenson had texted the undercover officer a number of incriminating messages, including: “I don’t suppose you know in[sic] younger girls I could pay u a premium for?”; “I pay u a finders fee and I pay her”; “The younger the better”; and “Just keep it in mind if you come across any high school age girls.”
In a news release issued by the Justice Department in June, it was revealed that when presented with the suggestion of meeting up with an 18-year-old girl, Stevenson, a 58-year-old man, responded with the comment: “Not young enough.”
Authorities initiated an investigation into Stevenson after the arrest of a pimp and a sex worker in April 2023, as per court documents cited by NBC San Diego earlier this summer.
The Justice Department reported that Stevenson was found with $140 in cash in his car during his arrest last October, when he arrived for a meeting with the 16-year-old girl.
After Stevenson’s release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and undergo supervised release for an additional 15 years, as reported by a local news source in San Diego.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Anthony Battagliain, Stevenson’s defense attorney, Dana Grimes, expressed his client’s deep remorse for his actions in this case. Grimes emphasized that Stevenson has come to terms with the fact that his life, including his career and a substantial portion of his freedom, will never be the same.
Stevenson has expressed a commitment to making changes, as reported by CNS.
“I’m horrified by my actions and I will be happy to participate in any programs that the government deems necessary,” the ex-high school teacher told the judge at his sentencing. “You will never see me again under these circumstances.”