Paroled rapist pleads to attempted kidnapping

PALMDALE  – A convicted sex offender charged in August with trying to kidnap a girl in Palmdale pleaded no contest Monday, authorities said.

Richard Henry Stine, 39, pleaded to one count of kidnapping to commit robbery.  Stine additionally admitted two prior strike convictions for forcible rape and kidnapping in 1999, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The plea stems from an incident that happened on the morning of August 2 at the corner of 30th Street East and Palmdale Boulevard. At the time, Stine was a GPS-monitored sex offender on active parole for forcible rape.

Investigators said Stine approached a 17-year-old girl from behind, pushed an object into her back and told her to keep walking or he would shoot her. Stine forced the victim across the street and behind a church, before a Good Samaritan, who witnessed the incident, called 9-1-1, investigators said at the time.

Before the incident, Stine had been arrested at least seven times since he was paroled in 2010, 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.

Last Halloween, Stine was arrested during “Operation Boo,” a safety initiative aimed at protecting young trick-or-treaters from sexual predators. Stine was arrested for violating his parole by having children’s toys and being under the influence of alcohol.

For his most recent charges, Stine is set to receive the maximum sentence of 30 years to life in state prison, prosecutors said.

Judge Christopher Estes scheduled sentencing for Nov. 19 in Department A21 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Antelope Valley Branch.  Victim impact statements also are expected to be heard at that hearing.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Previous related stories:

Paroled rapist charged in kidnap-rape attempt

Paroled rapist arrested for kidnapping teen

‘Operation Boo’ nets three arrests locally

UPDATED 11/19/13: Following an emotional testimony from his teenage victim in an Antelope Valley courtroom, Richard Stine was sentenced today to 30 years to life in state prison.