1/27/2007 4:00:00 AM Grand jury hands down indictment
By MIRSADA BURIC The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT A Yavapai County grand jury on Friday indicated four men, including the 29-year-old sex
offender who allegedly posed as a 12-year-old boy on
multiple felony charges.
Neil Rodreick, Brian Nellis, Robert Snow all convicted sex offenders and Lonnie Stiffler each face at least 14 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor related to child pornography.
They also face multiple counts of forgery, failure to register as a sex offender and taking the identity of
another.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office arrested the four men on Jan. 18 after the
Mingus Springs Charter School received fake school enrollment documents for Rodreick, the Sheriff's Office says.
Stiffler, who claimed to be Rodreick's grandfather, apparently tried to enroll Rodreick as 12-year-old Casey Price in the charter school. Although Rodreick was dressed as a teenager, authorities say, the school officials thought that he appeared to be older than the stated age.
Stiffler and Snow admitted to having a sexual relationship with Rodreick, believing he was only 12, the Sheriff's Office says.
As a result, the grand jury indicted them on attempted sexual conduct with a minor and attempted child molestation charges.
The defendants will appear before Yavapai County
Superior Court Judge William Kiger at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 26.
Rodreick's attorney, Steve August, declined to comment why Rodreick posed as a 12-year-old boy, but said, "He does appear to be very distraught and quite confused about the charges.
"It is quite a lot for this gentleman to comprehend at this time," he said. "Everything is happening rather quickly and we don't have a lot of information."
August said he doesn't believe his
client understands the seriousness of the charges he is facing.
"We have a sacred process in this country and I ask the people not to prejudge this case because, as we often see, cases are not what they appear to be," August said. "This is quite an unusual case."
August said he didn't know that his client faces the charges related to child pornography because he hasn't seen the indictment. He said he is concerned with the Sheriff's Office's handling of the case because some important details about Rodreick had leaked to the press.
"It is the investigating officials that are apparently giving information to the press that is normally confidential," he said. "I read a report today of some tape that was located that allegedly had depictions of my client having sex with a minor. But I didn't know of the existence of the tape."
"I'm very alarmed that law enforcement is leaking really what is evidence ... to the press," he said. "I'm concerned that our jury pool is going to be tainted."
He said he might seek a change of venue because all the press exposure of the case is creating a "tough environment for Mr. Rodreick to have a fair trial."
