PALMDALE – A convicted sex offender accused of attempting to kidnap a teenage girl in Palmdale appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom today to face criminal charges.
Richard Henry Stine, 39, is charged in with one count each of kidnapping to commit rape, kidnapping to commit robbery and assault with intent to commit rape on a victim under the age of 18, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Stine appeared for arraignment Tuesday afternoon, but did not enter a plea. The hearing was postponed until August 20 and Stine’s bail was set at $2 million
Investigators say Stine approached a 17-year-old victim from behind as she walked along a Palmdale street on the morning of Aug. 2. The victim told detectives Stine pushed an object into her back and told her to keep walking or he would shoot her. Stine allegedly forced the victim across the street and behind a church. A Good Samaritan witnessed the incident and called 911.
Deputies responded, foiling the attempted kidnapping and rape, prosecutors said. The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Stine has two prior felony convictions for forcible rape and kidnapping in 1999, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Stine was released on parole in 2010, and he has been arrested seven times since then for parole violations, according to California State Adult Parole Operations Supervisor Larry Dorsey.
“Anywhere from access to pornography, to having a Facebook account, to use of methamphetamines,” Dorsey said, in describing Stine’s various parole violations.
“Unfortunately, this does happen. That’s the way the system works,” Dorsey added.
If convicted of the most recent charges, Stine faces a maximum prison sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
The case will be prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Theodore Swanson.
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Had it up to HERE says
Michelle Egberts will tell you that he’s just frustrated and misunderstood. Tell that to this girl and the 16 year old that wasn’t fortunate enough to have an upstanding citizen and sheriff’s intervention.
Nancy P says
What exactly is the Parole System for if not to monitor released prisoners and put them back in jail when they break the rules set in their parole? He’s been arrested 7 times while on parole and yet he was out to do this to a 17 yr old girl? Why wasn’t he put back in jail for any of those 7 violations?
Our system is broken in California.
Letlow says
He is put back in jail when he violates parole, but they can only keep them for so long. And pretty soon he’s back on the streets again giving a middle finger to the system. These criminals know the system inside out. They know just how far they can take it and still be back out on the streets again. They also make it hard for those that really want to change their ways and become productive members of society. I still believe that criminals can reform. I just don’t believe THIS GUY can be reformed.