O.C. deputy found dead faced molestation charges
An on-duty Orange County sheriff's deputy who was found dead Wednesday afternoon had been criminally charged earlier in the day with molesting a 12-year-old boy he met through a mentoring program, authorities said today.
Gerald Stenger, 41, was found at 2 p.m. in the driver's seat of an unmarked patrol car with a single gun shot wound to the head in an Aliso Viejo parking structure, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office.
Stenger was charged Wednesday morning with molesting a 12-year-old boy from 1995 to 1997. Authorities said the veteran deputy met the youth through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. He would have faced a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison if convicted.
The county district attorney's office said it had concluded that Stenger was at risk of committing suicide if he discovered that he was going to be charged. In an attempt to keep Stenger from finding out he was about to be arrested, county prosecutors sealed documents and tried to arrange for a "safe" arrest.
District attorney investigators had planned to arrest Stenger on Wednesday afternoon.
The district attorney's office is investigating the case.
my-thuan.tran@latimes.com
