Dead deputy may have molested others
The Orange County district attorney’s office said Wednesday that it was trying to determine whether a sheriff’s deputy who killed himself after being charged with molesting a 12-year-old boy may have sexually assaulted other minors.
Gerald Stenger, 41, of Aliso Viejo was found dead earlier this month inside an unmarked car. Earlier the same day, he had learned that a warrant had been issued for his arrest in the molestation case. Prosecutors later determined that Stenger had found out about the charges by accessing an internal criminal database.
The case involved a 12-year-old boy whom Stenger met through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County.
The district attorney’s office said investigators found hundreds of images of child pornography, several of which appear to be homemade, inside Stenger’s home. Stenger taught a Tools for Tolerance program for at-risk middle school students through a Neighborhood Enforcement Team and was involved with Little League baseball, the office said.
Victims may be eligible for counseling and services.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact supervising investigator Craig Kelsey at (714) 347-8794.
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