Florida Man Charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Child
| U.S. Attorney’s Office July 19, 2013 |
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Bushnell, Florida man has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Seth Stone, age 24, was indicted on May 15, 2013, for the attempted enticement of a minor using the Internet and attempted sexual exploitation of a child.
Stone was arrested in Florida on June 3, 2013, and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno in Pierre, South Dakota, on July 18, 2013, and pled not guilty to the indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment on the enticement of a minor charge and a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment on the sexual exploitation charge. Both counts include a $250,000 fine and term of supervised release of five years up to life for each violation and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges are merely accusations, and Stone is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Stone was released to a third party custodian with conditions pending trial. A trial date has not been set.