Gardnerville man faces six years in sex case

A Gardnerville man faces up to six years incarceration after he admitted to a count of felony sexual seduction of someone under the age of 16 and false imprisonment.

Robert A. Stevenson, 31, said he'd been drinking and didn't remember groping a 14-year-old girl, but did remember trying to prevent her from leaving his apartment when she was yelling "rape." He was arrested Aug. 9.

Stevenson faces 1-5 years in prison for the felony and up to a year in jail for false imprisonment.

He told Judge Michael Gibbons he had a hard time understanding the charges or their implication, because his mental abilities are less than average.

Stevenson had received a preliminary evaluation in jail, which determined he was competent to aid in his defense.

He said he bought alcohol for a 14-year-old couple, whom he said he thought were older. According to court documents, they were making out on his bed when Stevenson laid down next to them and groped the girl.

According to attorney Kris Brown, Stevenson was pleading to the seduction charge to avoid a sexual assault charge, which could carry a life sentence.

Gibbons set sentencing for Nov. 9. Stevenson will have to register as a sex offender. Several members of his family were present in court on Monday. He would have a place to stay where he would be supervised if he were to receive probation.

In an unrelated case, a Gardnerville teenager admitted to a gross misdemeanor charge of sexual seduction of a person under the age of 16 saying he didn't realize the girl was 14 years old.

Michael Cox, 18, faces a lesser charge than Stevenson because of his age. The maximum sentence is a year in Douglas County Jail. The incident occurred on July 6.

Gibbons told Cox and Stevenson that Nevada law doesn't recognize ignorance of someone's age as a defense.

Both men must take a psycho sexual evaluation to determine if they are at risk to offend again. If they aren't found to be at risk, they may qualify for probation. Cox faces sentencing on Nov. 9.