A federal jury in Missoula has convicted Stevenson Metelus, a 36-year-old from Margate, Florida, of attempting to coerce a minor for sex. The conviction followed a three-day trial that began on February 10. Metelus was found guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He now faces a mandatory minimum sentence ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, alongside potential fines and supervised release.
The case was presided over by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, with sentencing scheduled for June 24. Until then, Metelus has been released pending further proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich commented on the conviction: “Metelus was a truck driver passing through Montana when he used social media to attempt to coerce a minor to have sex with him. The problem for him was he was unwittingly talking to an undercover law enforcement officer."
The incident traces back to October 2023 when an FBI special agent posted an advertisement under the persona "Child 1" on MegaPersonals in Missoula. Despite the listed age being "99," Metelus engaged with the ad in November 2023 and discussed sexual acts and pricing with Child 1, who had identified herself as a minor during their conversations.
Plans were made for Metelus to meet Child 1 at a gas station after initial discussions about meeting locations. Upon his arrival at the gas station, law enforcement arrested him following his admission of intending to meet Child 1 for commercial sex.
The prosecution is handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, while the investigation involved the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula Police Department, and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, initiated by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse more effectively through coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local levels.
