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CRIME

Kent County man pleads guilty to rape, child porn charges

robin brown
The News Journal

A Kent County man on Tuesday admitted that he raped and sexually exploited a young boy in his care, state officials said.

Stephen M. Parsons, 26, of Vineyard Lane in Felton, pleaded guilty in Kent County Superior Court in Dover to first-degree rape, sexual exploitation and two counts of dealing in child pornography.

He faces 21 years to life in prison when sentenced Oct. 30.

Parsons had faced 35 charges – including three of first-degree rape and 25 of child pornography distribution – that could have resulted in numerous life sentences.

The case began as an investigation of online distribution of child pornography.

Delaware Child Predator Task Force detectives and state police seized multiple computers and digital media in March at his home, Attorney General Beau Biden announced at the time.

When child pornography images were found, he said, Parsons was charged with 25 counts of dealing in child pornography. He was committed to and has since remained at Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna, lacking $500,000 secured bail.

Biden announced in early May that an additional investigation led to the discovery that Parsons had repeatedly sexually abused a boy in his care and had taken pornographic photos of him.

Parsons was charged at that time with three counts of first-degree rape, sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust, continuous sexual abuse of a child, four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and five counts of unlawful sexual contact with a person under the age of 13.

Contact robin brown at (302) 324-2856 or rbrown@delawareonline.com. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @rbrowndelaware.