The 55-year-old Hutchinson man jailed on a 52-thousand, 500-dollar bond after he was arrested by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office last week was back in court for the reading of formal charges against him.
Steven Peterman was charged by District Attorney Keith Schroeder with electronic solicitation of a child and aggravated violation of the offender registration act. Both charges have a sentencing range of 55-to-247 months.
It was about 3:30 p-m, on February 12, when Peterman was arrested in the parking lot of the Hutchinson Mall by detectives with the sheriff’s office. The arrest is the result of 2-week investigation.
It’s alleged that Peterman was engaged in conversations via cellular telephone with detectives whom he believed to be an underage female. Peterman went to the mall to pick up the female with the intentions of assisting her in running away from home. Peterman was under surveillance the entire time he was in the parking lot, so no one was in danger.
Sheriff Officials discovered that he had a cell phone used for calls, text messages and internet access which also didn’t register with the sheriff’s office within 3-days of getting the phone which is required. He also allegedly created an internet site affiliation which he also didn’t report. He apparently was using these devices to make contact with what he thought was young female victim.
He allegedly admitted to setting up the website two weeks prior to the discovery by a sheriff department investigator.
He had served time for two counts of attempted rape and electronic solicitation of a child from a case from 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.
Magistrate Judge Randy McEwen set another hearing on the new charges for March 19.