A former science teacher at University City High School pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor when he believed he was making arrangements to have sex with a 16-year-old girl, according to federal prosecutors. 

Sean Stevenson, 58, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison with the maximum sentence of life in prison, according to court documents released on June 14. 

He will appear Sept. 5 for sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia. Stevenson will not be able to teach again because of the felony conviction, though the case is not related to his former occupation. 

Stevenson was arrested Oct. 24, 2023. He was unaware he was the target of an investigation in which his words were tape recorded and he was actually speaking to an undercover officer with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. 

Another judge previously ordered Stevenson detained in the Metropolitan Correctional Center without bail, where he remains. Stevenson pleaded guilty to the attempted enticement charge on June 13 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Torres. 

“Instead of a protector, this teacher became a predator,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Yet through swift justice in this case, we have continued to protect children from being exploited, trafficked, and abused.” 

Stevenson will have to register as a sex offender after his release from prison in whatever community he resides. The case did not include evidence Stevenson actually molested anyone, as the evidence against him was only his tape recorded words, according to the transcript released by the U.S. Attorney’s office. 

Stevenson’s interest was discovered during another sex trafficking investigation. An undercover officer pretended to be the same woman Stevenson originally talked to in that investigation and asked him if he was interested in her 16-year-old cousin. 

 “Younger, yes,” replied Stevenson, according to the transcript. “I’ll pay well,” he said, adding he wanted to pay $140 for oral sex without a condom with the 16-year-old cousin in his car. 

Stevenson showed up on Oct. 24 in the 5300 block of El Cajon Blvd. only to discover he was being arrested and there was no juvenile for him to meet. A search of his car found $140 in cash along with a black Samsung smartphone which rang after an officer called it. 

“Mr. Stevenson was a trusted member of the community who preyed upon our most vulnerable youth,” said Christopher Davis, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. 

“HSI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to rescue victims and aggressively investigate allegations of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children,” said Davis. 

A second charge of possession of images of a girl less than 12 years of age in sexually explicit conduct on a computer thumb drive will be dismissed at sentencing.