HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 55-year-old Hutchinson man arrested for electronic solicitation and aggravated violation of the offender registration act was in court Monday for a motions hearing.
Judge Trish Rose took the two biggest motions involving Steven Peterman under advisement.
Defense Attorney Justin Bravi wants the first count dropped saying the state failed to prove intent in the case, while the state argues that its a jury decision. District Attorney Keith Schroeder says if the judge was to throw that charge out, it would be overruling the decision by Judge Joe McCarville who found there was probable cause to send it to a jury.
The defense motion of Limine and the states motion to present prior bad acts testimony at trial are kind of mixed. The motion of Limine is basically asking that his prior convictions be excluded at trial, while the state wants it presented believing it would show intent in this case.
Peterman was arrested back on Feb. 12. 2014 when he was allegedly waiting to pick up an underage girl in the parking lot of the Hutchinson Mall. He is accused of engaging in conversations via cell phone with Sheriff Detective Diana Skomal, who posed as the 15-year-old. He allegedly went to the mall to pick her up with the intention of assisting her in running away from home, but also to teach her sex.
Peterman has served time in prison for two counts of attempted rape and electronic solicitation of a child from a case in 2001. But, he also has convictions for three counts of theft, perjury and issuing a worthless check. Those cases go back to 1979 and 1980.
Judge Rose also granted the defense request for a continuance of the trial rescheduling it to begin of March 3.