Allegheny Co. man waives case to court
An Allegheny County man thought he was coming to North Strabane Township to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex earlier this month, according to police.
James Kendall Stein, 24, of Coraopolis, instead found himself wearing a set of handcuffs after he was arrested by township officers on charges of attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual abuse of children, attempted interference with custody of children, sexual exploitation of children, possession of child pornography and corruption of minors. Stein waived his case to court Wednesday before District Judge Jay Weller.
Officer Gary Scherer, a township police officer and member of the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said Stein’s case is unusual because the 24-year-old actually showed up to meet with the person he believed was a 15-year-old boy after exchanging photographs.
“He’s what we refer to as a traveler,” Scherer said.
Scherer was monitoring personal ads on Craigslist when he saw an ad from someone claiming to be a 24-year-old searching for a “boy to sneak in for all night fun.” Scherer contacted the man, identified by police as Stein, telling him that he was a 15-year-old North Strabane boy who attended Canon-McMillan High School.
Stein allegedly texted two photographs of a body part and asked the 15-year-old to send a nude photograph. He also told the boy to sneak out of his parents’ house to meet him, police said, and indicated that he would take the boy and sneak him into his Coraopolis home. The two reportedly made arrangements to meet at a McClelland Road gas station. A North Strabane officer was disguised as a teenage boy sitting on the curb at the station. When Stein approached him, he was taken into custody. Scherer said Stein admitted to sending texts and photographs and that he intended to engage in sexual activity with the boy he thought he was meeting.
Stein’s defense attorney asked Weller to reduce his client’s $25,000 bond. Weller denied the request. Stein posted bond through a bail bondsman and was released from Washington County jail Wednesday. He is scheduled for a formal arraignment Dec. 15.
Scherer, who is the only police officer from Washington County on the task force, said the goal of the unit is to deter the exploitation of minors. Before joining North Strabane, Scherer worked as an officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. His duties including searching electronic devices and enforcing federal regulations, including child pornography and exploitation statutes.
“But it is an epidemic,” the officer said.