Anderson man charged with attempting to engage in sexual relationship with underage, would-be babysitter
REDDING, Calif., — Authorities say an Anderson man was arrested yesterday after allegedly engaging an underage female in a lengthy and inappropriate online conversation that included him sending multiple photos and videos of himself engaged in “various sexual acts”.
After officials learned the suspect agreed to hire the young victim as a babysitter and made arrangements to pick her up from school – with his text messages indicating he intended to engage in a sexual relationship with her at that time – they served a search warrant at the man’s Anderson residence.
During subsequent questioning, the man, 29-year-old Stephen Constantinou, admitted to attempting to engage the girl in a sexual relationship and he was ultimately arrested for a variety of charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor.
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City of Redding police officials began their investigation earlier this month after an underage female victim reported she was solicited into an inappropriate conversation with a man she had met online while trying to obtain employment with his business, Pointer Coffee Roasters in Anderson, Redding Police Sergeant Sheldon has said of the investigation and man’s arrest.
Although the girl’s name and other information were not specified due to her age, when she disclosed her age to Constantinou during their text conversations, he began sending her numerous images and videos that depicted him “performing various sexual acts,” Sheldon explained.
Stephen Constantinou was arrested after sending an underage female sexually explicit photos and videos of himself and making arrangements to begin a sexual relationship with the victim after agreeing to hire her as a babysitter. Redding PD photo
Constantinou eventually offered the girl a babysitting job and attempted to make specific arrangements to pick her up from school. According to the messages uncovered by officials, Constantinou “intended on initiating a sexual relationship with the female at the time he would pick her up from school.”
Based on their weeks-long investigation, on Thursday, March 24, City of Redding and Anderson Police detectives served a search and arrest warrant at Constantinou’s residence in the 1800 block of North Street in Anderson.
“Constantinou admitted to engaging in an inappropriate conversation with a female he knew was a minor,” and was subsequently arrested on numerous charges related to the inappropriate sexual relationship he was reportedly trying to foster with the victim, according to Sheldon.
He was later booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of various offenses related to sending harmful matter to an underage female with the intent of engaging in sexual intercourse.
Online jail records indicate he has since been released on bond and is no longer in custody.
After Constantinou’s arrest, Sheldon used the opportunity to remind area parents to monitor their child’s online presence “for signs of grooming or manipulation by adult predators.” Online resources are available at missingkids.org and millionkids.org.
Anyone with further information about this investigation is encouraged to contact the Redding Police Department at (530) 776-0107. Callers can remain anonymous.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.
His poor wife and kid. So messed up that he’s a dad of a daughter and can do that. His poor family.