A judge in Douglas County has refused to grant bond to a Utah man charged with enticing and sexually assaulting a child in Omaha.
Authorities claim that 22-year-old Marcus Stewart transmitted inappropriate material to a 10-year-old girl via social media and subsequently traveled to Omaha for an in-person meeting.
Stewart appeared before a Douglas County judge for the first time on Friday.
“On or about June 12, 2024, the victim was 11 years old and met the defendant on Snapchat,” Chris McMahon, Douglas County prosecutor, said in court Friday. “Defendant was 21 years old at the time. The defendant lives in Utah and directed the victim to send naked photos and videos of the victim.”
Stewart is confronting four serious felony charges, which include first-degree sexual assault of a child and the use of a communication device for sexual assault.
Prosecutors in court characterized Stewart’s alleged actions as terrible. Court documents reveal that Stewart and the victim communicated through Snapchat and TikTok.
Court documents reveal that Stewart reportedly claimed to the victim that he was 17, while the victim initially stated she was 14, but later confessed to being just 10 years old at that time.
Even after acknowledging her actual age, records indicate that Stewart continued to communicate with the victim. Court documents revealed that 26 explicit photos and 29 videos of the victim were found on Stewart’s Snapchat, with prosecutors indicating that the interaction extended beyond just online communication.
Stewart waived his preliminary hearing, and his attorney requested a bond, highlighting that Stewart has no criminal record. However, the judge denied the bond and mandated that Stewart have no contact with the alleged victim or anyone under 19.