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Man gets life for enticing moms to abuse kids online
He convinced mothers to molest their own children and then watched the sex acts on the Internet.
For this, Steven Demink -- dubbed by one federal magistrate as "a cyber predator of the worst kind" -- is going to prison for the rest of his life.
Demink, 41, a former car salesman from Redford Township, was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court before Judge Gerald Rosen, four months after pleading guilty to his role in an Internet sex scheme that involved the abuse of 12 children by seven mothers -- all at his behest.
"This sentence reflects the outrageous harm this predator inflicted on innocent children," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said. "In some ways, the defendant has already imposed a life sentence on them."
According to court records, Demink used a fictitious persona -- Dalton St. Clair, a young, single father -- to meet single mothers online.
He encouraged and enticed the moms to sexually assault their children and send images or provide him with live Web camera access of the conduct, records show.
In one case, Demink pretended to be a psychologist, telling a mother he could help her deal with a child who had mental health issues by helping her get closer to that child, records show.
Criminal charges also were filed against the mothers, who live in New Hampshire, Florida and Idaho. Two of them have pleaded guilty.
Demink's indictment resulted from a U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement investigation that originated at a bus stop in Idaho and spanned from Florida to Virginia.
At the bus stop, in December 2009, a grandmother asked her 5-year-old grandson whether he had fun the night before while visiting his mother.
"The boy surprisingly said no. The boy told his grandmother that his mother forced him to undress," and then molested him, court records show.
That disclosure spurred the investigation into a mysterious man named Dalton St. Clair, who turned out to be Demink.
"I'm not unsalvageable," Demink said at his sentencing. "I still think I can be a productive member of society without the court worried about me re-offending.
"I did not think of what consequences my actions were going to produce. I hope they can find it in their hearts one day to forgive me for what I have done. I need help and I want help."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
For this, Steven Demink -- dubbed by one federal magistrate as "a cyber predator of the worst kind" -- is going to prison for the rest of his life.
Demink, 41, a former car salesman from Redford Township, was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court before Judge Gerald Rosen, four months after pleading guilty to his role in an Internet sex scheme that involved the abuse of 12 children by seven mothers -- all at his behest.
"This sentence reflects the outrageous harm this predator inflicted on innocent children," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said. "In some ways, the defendant has already imposed a life sentence on them."
According to court records, Demink used a fictitious persona -- Dalton St. Clair, a young, single father -- to meet single mothers online.
He encouraged and enticed the moms to sexually assault their children and send images or provide him with live Web camera access of the conduct, records show.
In one case, Demink pretended to be a psychologist, telling a mother he could help her deal with a child who had mental health issues by helping her get closer to that child, records show.
Criminal charges also were filed against the mothers, who live in New Hampshire, Florida and Idaho. Two of them have pleaded guilty.
Demink's indictment resulted from a U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement investigation that originated at a bus stop in Idaho and spanned from Florida to Virginia.
At the bus stop, in December 2009, a grandmother asked her 5-year-old grandson whether he had fun the night before while visiting his mother.
"The boy surprisingly said no. The boy told his grandmother that his mother forced him to undress," and then molested him, court records show.
That disclosure spurred the investigation into a mysterious man named Dalton St. Clair, who turned out to be Demink.
"I'm not unsalvageable," Demink said at his sentencing. "I still think I can be a productive member of society without the court worried about me re-offending.
"I did not think of what consequences my actions were going to produce. I hope they can find it in their hearts one day to forgive me for what I have done. I need help and I want help."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
