MERCER COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A former Mercer County teacher and coach has pleaded guilty to sending obscene matter with intent to seduce a minor.
According to Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Brian K. Cochran, James Stehlin, Jr. of Edenton, NC, and formerly of Princeton, WV, pleaded guilty today to two counts of sending obscene matter with the intent to seduce a minor. Stehlin was arrested on August 11, 2021, on three counts of sending obscene matter with the intent to seduce a minor and later indicted by a Mercer County Grand Jury. Stehlin faces up to 10 years in prison and is set to be sentenced on August 22, 2022.
Prosecutor Cochran praised the efforts of law enforcement in conducting a thorough investigation and thanked the child victims for their cooperation in the prosecution of Stehlin. Cochran further stated that the charges against Stehlin do not stem from his employment in Mercer County. “Stehlin was not employed by Mercer County schools at the time of these crimes,” Cochran said. “We have excellent teachers and coaches throughout Mercer County who are dedicated to the education, well-being, and safety of our kids. I am confident that his crimes are not in any way a reflection on our school system or athletic department.”
Stehlin currently remains incarcerated at Southern Regional Jail pending sentencing.
