Melba man gets life in prison for sexually abusing, drugging girls over several years

Idaho Statesman - 10/2/2018

Oct. 02--A 40-year-old Melba man will serve up to life in prison for sexually abusing female children and distributing drugs minors, according to the Canyon County Prosecutor's Office.

Stephen P. Slater was sentenced Monday by District Judge George A. Southworth for the three counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than age 16 and distribution of drugs to a person younger than 18.

Southworth sentenced Slater to 30 years fixed, followed by life in prison indeterminate on each of the four charges. The sentences will run concurrently for a total unified sentence of 30 years to life in prison.

Slater was arrested in April after an investigation by the Nampa Police Department revealed he had sexually abused several females, all of whom were under the age of 18 when the incidents occurred. According to detectives, Slater molested the young girls on numerous occasions over the course of several years.

The abuse started when the victims were as young as 6 years old and continued until they were in their teens. The sexual abuse ranged from inappropriate touching to oral and vaginal sex.

Detectives also found that Slater provided drugs to the minor victims on multiple occasions, according to the prosecutor's office. One of the victims told detectives that Slater gave her milk that was laced with methamphetamine when she was 17. Another victim reported that Slater provided her with heroin when she was only 14 or 15, and later helped her use heroin intravenously.

During sentencing, Southworth said, "the primary goal is protection of the community. This is a case where a message needs to be sent about how serious this conduct is over a long period of time with multiple known and maybe unknown victims, or victims who are known and unable to come forward," according to a news release.

Southworth ordered Stephens to register as a sex offender, submit a DNA sample to the Idaho database, and have no contact with any of the victims or any minors for the duration of the sentence. Stephens was also ordered to pay a $5,000 civil penalty for each victim along with court costs.

"This is one of the more disturbing cases that I've seen during my time as prosecutor," said Canyon County Prosecutor Bryan Taylor in a news release. "The defendant used his position of trust to take advantage of (children) for his own sexual gratification. He also provided and encouraged them to use various drugs, including meth and heroin, when they were only teenagers. This man caused unthinkable damage... Today's sentence ensures he will not be able to cause them, or anyone else, more harm."

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