Stefani Stevens of Yucaipa was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison May 8, after being convicted of producing and distributing child pornography.
Stevens had admitted to taking photos of a 5-month-old girl’s private parts, and sending the photo to others, when questioned by law enforcement in 2019. Stevens was babysitting the girl, and knew the girl’s parents.
Stevens had messaged another pedophile the day before she babysit the girl, and had talked about how excited she was to create sexually explicit videos, a prosecutor’s brief said.
“This defendant has been punished for acting out her vile sexual fantasies on two children – one of them an infant,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada.
Prosecutors argued in their brief that Stevens had a fantasy of having sex with babies.
The bench trial verdict found Stevens guilty of obtaining custody of a minor with the intent to produce child pornography, six counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. She had two victims, prosecutors said.
“There is a special place in hell for people like you. I only wish that will come sooner rather than later,” a mother of one of the victims wrote in a sentencing letter.
“Anyone who suspects a child is being victimized is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency or child protective services,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Stevens has appealed the judgment.
Case No. 5:19-cr-00377
California Central District Judge Virginia Phillips presided.
Paul Levers, Robert Trisotto and Sonah Lee of the US Attorney’s Office prosecuted.
Federal Public Defenders Howard Shneider and Ijeoma Eke defended.
Read the criminal complaint here.
Read the jury verdict here.
Read our previous coverage: Yucaipa woman guilty of producing child porn
