The 25-year-old Hutchinson man arrested on child sex charges who was found competent to stand trial entered pleas in the case Wednesday afternoon.
Michael Wayne Stahl entered pleas to 4-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 and then the sexual encounters occurring.
Police became involved in the case when two reports were made to them and a detective then 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 occurring in September and October of last year.
Sentencing in the case is set for April 11, in front of District Judge Trish Rose who took the plea in the case Wednesday afternoon. He’s looking at a sentence of 147-months to 653-months, depending on his criminal history. District Attorney Keith Schroeder says he agreed as part of the plea to not seek any further reduction at sentencing. Of course, the judge is free to sentence him anyway she sees as fair and serves justice under the facts and law of the case.