U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

FBI JACKSON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Contact: Deborah Madden FBI
(601) 948-5000

Press Release
For Immediate Release
April 11, 2008

ACCUSED SEXUAL PREDATOR PLEADS GUILTY

On April 10, 2008 LEO NEAL STEPHENS, age 56, pled guilty to a criminal information charging him with one count of abusive sexual contact. The criminal information against STEPHENS, a resident of Conehatta, Mississippi, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi on April 9, 2007 following a joint FBI/Choctaw Police Department investigation into his alleged sexual abuse of a minor.

Frederick T. Brink, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, stated, "Sexual abuse and exploitation of our children is an extremely heinous criminal act. The Justice Department has made the investigation and prosecution of any individual who exploits and steals the innocence of our children one of our highest national priorities. Those who commit such crimes will be identified, investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

STEPHENS is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. before Chief Judge Henry Wingate.