FL - Madeline Soto, 13, Missing Child Alert, 13500 blk Town Loop Blvd, Orlando, 26 Feb 2024 *arrest* #14

[Seattle1]

Stephan Sterns appeared in court Monday ahead of Madeline Soto murder trial

On Monday, a pre-trial hearing was held, focusing on two new motions, including Sterns' request to appear in court without handcuffs

www.wesh.com

7/14/25

They plan to use a television or whiteboard that they can move close to the jury.

“The state intends to utilize the whiteboard in an effort to prevent other individuals who do not need to see that evidence,” assistant state attorney Danielle Pinnell said.

Judge Keith Carston raised the possibility of closing the court to the public during the presentation of those images, but did not make a final decision on the idea.

Sterns is facing two separate criminal cases: one for the murder and another for 60 counts of sexual battery and abuse of a minor.

 

[Megnut]

I hope the jury is spared this. Images they'll never get out of their heads, and some of the videos have audio, too. Since the Defense couldn't get the phone search thrown out, please just plead guilty. There is direct video/photographic evidence of him committing the crimes, over and over and over. Caught. In. The. Act.

Maybe he thinks he "didn't start it". You started it, SS. You were the adult; you started it.

Devastated for what MS endured. Sympathy extended to everyone who has had to or will have to view these images/videos.

JMO

 

[girlhasnoname]

You're toast SS, might as well ask for a plea deal.

I don't want SS to be able to Plead. IMO he should be made to stand and account in a public trial exposing what a sick and demented monster he truly is. Shine the light on this horrible darkness.

With the irrefutable evidence SS is a prime candidate for the DP, and in this case, I have no qualms about it being given.

I do feel for the loved ones of Madeline to have to endure a trial, looks like JS is still MIA though. Any word on her lately?

JMO

 

[Spectrix]

I hope the jury is spared this. Images they'll never get out of their heads, and some of the videos have audio, too. Since the Defense couldn't get the phone search thrown out, please just plead guilty. There is direct video/photographic evidence of him committing the crimes, over and over and over. Caught. In. The. Act.

Maybe he thinks he "didn't start it". You started it, SS. You were the adult; you started it.

Devastated for what MS endured. Sympathy extended to everyone who has had to or will have to view these images/videos.

JMO

From what I understand the jury will be shown a small sample of images to represent them as a whole.
I feel terrible for the detectives who had to catalogue each one of the 1700 images involving MS and each one of the reported 35,000 other CSAM images that SS had saved on a USB drive.

I was reading the police report and noped out as soon as it started describing some of the images

 

[mickey2942]

Sick. They actually filmed their crime? Well, at least the evidence is solid.

 

[Spectrix]

Sick. They actually filmed their crime? Well, at least the evidence is solid.

The one silver lining, as described in the police report - SS reportedly has some sort of distinct marking on his wang that makes it very clear that it is him doing the abusing.
On top of that he reportedly showed his face in some of the images.

I can't image what his defence is going to be. "It wasn't me" is unlikely to receive a favourable response.

 

[Beekarina]

I support the DP for SS, but I also think it would be lovely if he lived out his life in a small, cold, dark cell. Alone. One tasteless meal a day and nothing for entertainment purposes. Let him stare at a blank wall and whine about needing a blanket and other nonsense.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I support the DP for SS, but I also think it would be lovely if he lived out his life in a small, cold, dark cell. Alone. One tasteless meal a day and nothing for entertainment purposes. Let him stare at a blank wall and whine about needing a blanket and other nonsense.

I am also not adverse to that either. These cases bring out the warrior in me. Children are defenseless against these types of predators, especially if they don't have the good fortune of a loving mother who is careful about who is around her child and knows what is going on.

Madeline didn't stand a chance here and that hurts my soul.

JMO

 

[Seattle1]

From what I understand the jury will be shown a small sample of images to represent them as a whole.
I feel terrible for the detectives who had to catalogue each one of the 1700 images involving MS and each one of the reported 35,000 other CSAM images that SS had saved on a USB drive.

I was reading the police report and noped out as soon as it started describing some of the images

SS wasn't charged with the thumb drive images found in his dad's storage -- probably couldn't link them directly to SS as they could the images on his phone and google cloud storage. Fortunately for LE, those 35K are not evidence here.

 

[girlhasnoname]

SS wasn't charged with the thumb drive images found in his dad's storage -- probably couldn't link them directly to SS as they could the images on his phone and google cloud storage. Fortunately for LE, those 35K are not evidence here.

I could just break down and cry. It's all so horrible and wrong and I will never, never understand it.

 

[tlcya]

I hope the jury is spared this. Images they'll never get out of their heads, and some of the videos have audio, too. Since the Defense couldn't get the phone search thrown out, please just plead guilty. There is direct video/photographic evidence of him committing the crimes, over and over and over. Caught. In. The. Act.

Maybe he thinks he "didn't start it". You started it, SS. You were the adult; you started it.

Devastated for what MS endured. Sympathy extended to everyone who has had to or will have to view these images/videos.

JMO

sadly, I don't think the jury can or should be spared this. While I agree that nobody should have to see such images. But if we want this jury to give SS what he has earned and truly deserves, they need to fully understand how depraved his actions were.

Not the thousands of images, but the worst of them, absolutely IMO should be shown to the jury. There is no other way to truly impress upon the jury that any defense excuses made about this awful content are just that - excuses.

ETA I second your wish that this piece of filth would just plea and go away for ever

 

[Seattle1]

I could just break down and cry. It's all so horrible and wrong and I will never, never understand it.

SS SCREAMS textbook predator!

What he did to this child, MS, from a very young age, and that MS appears to have kept silent, is both sad and baffling.

And I want to punch the screen every time I see JS tell how she wouldn't allow MS to attend sleep-overs, fearing the worst, yet had no qualms sending her baby to sleep alone with an adult man!

MOO

 

[girlhasnoname]

SS SCREAMS textbook predator!

What he did to this child, MS, from a very young age, and that MS appears to have kept silent, is both sad and baffling.

And I want to punch the screen every time I see JS tell how she wouldn't allow MS to attend sleep-overs, fearing the worst, yet had no qualms sending her baby to sleep alone with an adult man!

MOO

Same my friend, same.

 

[Gemmie]

I hope the jury is spared this. Images they'll never get out of their heads, and some of the videos have audio, too. Since the Defense couldn't get the phone search thrown out, please just plead guilty. There is direct video/photographic evidence of him committing the crimes, over and over and over. Caught. In. The. Act.

Even his freckled penis has a mug shot. And no, that's not a joke. The black mark on the tip was seen in numerous pictures/videos, AND by LE after his arrest when they looked for it. They have their guy. No ifs ands or buts about it IMO.

Maybe he thinks he "didn't start it". You started it, SS. You were the adult; you started it.

A child NEVER starts "it". A pedo may tell themselves that when reasoning with themselves as to why they did what they did. That's like saying attractively dressed women are at fault for being raped. Just freaking control yourselves, dudes!

Devastated for what MS endured. Sympathy extended to everyone who has had to or will have to view these images/videos.

JMO

 

[Gemmie]

I do feel for the loved ones of Madeline to have to endure a trial, looks like JS is still MIA though. Any word on her lately?

Newp. And I occasionally check to see if there's been any JS sightings. Still nada.

 

[Gemmie]

The one silver lining, as described in the police report - SS reportedly has some sort of distinct marking on his wang that makes it very clear that it is him doing the abusing.
On top of that he reportedly showed his face in some of the images.

I can't image what his defence is going to be. "It wasn't me" is unlikely to receive a favourable response.

It's a black freckle on the tip.



It's on Pg 35 of 896: https://www.scribd.com/document/750...-into-Madeline-Sotos-murder-896-pages#page=35

I can't get the file to cooperate so I'm done wasting time on it. However, searching for 'black mark' got the below result on the same page (35). I just can't view the entire section as like I said, the file isn't cooperating and I'm done dinking with it. So the black mark on the penis in the pics matched the black mark on his actual penis. He's toast.

 

[Seattle1]

In March, Sterns was indicted on 60 charges related to sexual battery on a child and possessing materials depicting sexual performance by a child. This all before he was charged with first-degree murder in April.

According to documents obtained by WESH, Madeline's mother, Jennifer Soto, said it was normal for Madeline and Sterns to sleep together — even when she wasn't there.
____________________________

Stines trial for the 60 Indicted charges above, beginning July 22, is only expected to last about four days. The good news is an SS conviction here is what will earn him the DP when also convicted for MS's murder. #JusticeforMaddie

State seeking death penalty against Stephan Sterns in Madeline Soto case

In April, Sterns was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Madeline Soto.

www.wesh.com

 

[Kittypoo]

The one silver lining, as described in the police report - SS reportedly has some sort of distinct marking on his wang that makes it very clear that it is him doing the abusing.
On top of that he reportedly showed his face in some of the images.

I can't image what his defence is going to be. "It wasn't me" is unlikely to receive a favourable

 

[Peppery]

I know the videos/images will not be seen by the public but will be viewed by jurors on a small TV screen. I don't think evidence can be deprived from the defendant but also doubt SS will be allowed his own, private screening. I envision he will see whatever the defense team shares during trial.

God bless the LE, attorneys, jury members and everyone else who has to see those images in order to get justice for Madeline. They’re also victims of SS and will be left scarred after this trial.

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1945162004475600951

ETA: Note at the 20 min mark when JS cries over her fear that she's left alone because SS pulls a Woody Allen (when her daughter turns 18)! It's all about Jen...