| For Immediate Release Case # 06HF0372
December 22, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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RETIRED CHP LIEUTENANT CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTING TO MEET FAKE 13-YEAR-OLD FOR
SEX AFTER MEETING AND EXCHANGING
EXPLICIT SEXUAL MESSAGES ONLINE
SANTA ANA – A now-retired Lieutenant for the California Highway Patrol was convicted today of attempting to commit unlawful sexual acts with a fictitious 13-year-old girl, whom he believed was real, after meeting the girl online and engaging in explicit sexual conversations. Stephen Robert Deck, 55, Carlsbad, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison at his sentencing Jan. 22, 2010, at 1:30 p.m. in Department C-39, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Beginning Feb. 12, 2006, Deck initiated contact and engaged in sexually explicit conversations over the Internet with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. The defendant was actually communicating with an adult citizen volunteer from Perverted-Justice.com, a non-profit organization aimed at protecting children from Internet sexual predators. Over several days, Deck had numerous online and phone conversations with a woman who told him she was a 13-year-old girl. He inquired if the girl liked older men, made graphic sexual statements and sexually suggestive comments about eating pie, and arranged to meet the “victim” in Laguna Beach.
On Feb. 18, 2006, Deck drove from San Diego County to Laguna Beach with the intention of committing unlawful sexual acts with the fake 13-year-old. When Deck arrived at the pre-arranged location, he was in possession of a digital camera and key lime pie and several condoms were located in his car. Deck was arrested upon attempting to make contact with the fictitious 13-year-old girl.
During the trial, the People presentenced evidence that Deck had engaged in graphic, sexually explicit online conversations with two additional young girls, both of whom identified themselves as 13 years old. The defendant discussed wanting to meet each of the children and had a conversation with one of them suggesting that she sexually touch her 10-year-old sister.
Deck, along with 12 other men, was arrested as a result of a law enforcement sting targeting Internet sexual predators in February 2006. The sting was conducted by the Laguna Beach Police Department, Orange County Department of Probation, and Orange County District Attorney’s Office, with help from Perverted-Justice.com. The status of the other 12 defendants is as follows. The occupation and city of residence for each defendant is based on their status at the time of arrest.