KINGMAN — 38 more years in prison has been ordered this month for a Kingman man who spent about 15 months on probation upon his release from prison when he was busted a second time for possessing child pornography. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said Steven Walters, 27, was prohibited from cell phone use while on probation, yet a large amount of illegal material was found on a phone he possessed when authorities checked it on May 13.
“Over five hundred child sexual abuse video files and over six hundred photographs of child sexual abuse material were located,” said MCSO public information officer Anita Mortensen. Judge Billy Sipe on September 10 imposed a four-year prison term for the probation violation.
Walters was charged with ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the new case. He entered a plea agreement and was sentenced during a September 19 hearing before Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle.
Walters pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Deputy Mohave County attorney Karolina Czaplinska said it is disturbing that the latter counts involve images of infants.
“He’s got a sexual problem that hasn’t gone away with a (previous) prison sentence,” said public defender Paul Amann. “No question he did it this time. He did it before.”
Judge Carlisle imposed 34 more years in prison, to be served consecutive to the four years Judge Sipe ordered for the probation violation. Walters will be on probation for life, upon his release from prison.