Crime & Safety
Man Charged with Soliciting Sex Online with a Minor
Stephen Mizner faces multiple charges, including soliciting a parent to participate in sexual activity with a minor, traveling to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with a child and attempted sexual battery.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested a 41-year-old Sarasota man Friday for arranging to have sex with a 10-year-old girl, the sheriff's office said.
Stephen Mizner faces multiple charges that include:
- Soliciting a parent to participate in sexual activity with a minor;
- Traveling to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with a child;
- Attempted sexual battery;
- Unlawful use of two-way communications to facilitate, a felony offense.
According to the sheriff's office, Mizner, of 5704 Scarborough Lane, initiated instant messaging conversations and spoke by phone with an undercover Sarasota detective posing as the child’s mother.
Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Computer Crimes Division, working with the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, had posted an Internet personal ad seeking someone who wanted to have “discreet family fun.”
Investigators say that Mizner responded – and because he lives in Sarasota – the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office joined the investigation.
Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Mizner, deputies said, arranged for the undercover female detective who posed as the mother of a 10-year-old to pick him up. The detective posing as the mother had told Mizner she would take him to have sex with the child.
Detectives arrested him Friday, Nov. 4, when he arrived at the pre-arranged location.
Mizner was released Monday after posting a $110,500 bond.
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