HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A 25-year-old Hutchinson man convicted on child sex charges is scheduled to be sentenced Friday afternoon.
Michael Wayne Stahl entered pleas to four counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of electronic solicitation, one count of attempted indecent liberties with a child and exploitation of a child. However at sentencing, the two sides will recommend running all of the counts concurrent to each other, then asking for a departure from Jessica’s Law to the regular sentencing grid as level-1 person felonies. He was looking at multiple life sentences under Jessica’s Law which would not allow him parole for at least 25 years on each count.
Stahl had communicated with two 13-year-old girls through Facebook and also by text. That apparently led to him meeting the girls, followed by the sexual encounters.
Police became involved in the case when two reports were made to them and a detective started communicating with Stahl. He posed as a 14-year-old girl. That led to Stahl showing up at an abandoned residence where he thought he was meeting the 14-year-old, but met police instead.
After his arrest in October, he apparently admitted that he inappropriately touched the girls. The crimes occurred in September and October of last year.
He’s looking at a sentence of 147 to 653 months, depending on his criminal history.