Home News Continuance granted for Hempstead County sex-crime case against Nashville man

Continuance granted for Hempstead County sex-crime case against Nashville man

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A continuance has been granted in the Hempstead County case against a 67-year-old Nashville man accused of two sex crimes against a child.

Van Dale Stueart, who resides in Hempstead County but has a Nashville address, is facing felony charges of sexually grooming a child and sexual indecency with a child.

During a pretrial hearing Monday, Aug. 24 in Hempstead County Circuit Court, Stueart’s request for a continuance was granted by Circuit Judge Duncan Culpepper.

Stueart is being represented by attorney Eugene Hale of Prescott. The case is being prosecuted by Prosecutor Christi McQueen.

Judge Culpepper granted the continuance and then set a Nov. 9 pretrial date and a Dec. 7 trial date. The judge noted on the court docket that “no more continuances” will be granted in the case.

Stueart was official charged on May 18. According to case information, the alleged incident for which he is charged happened between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30, 2014.

He is accused of knowingly disseminating to a child 13 years of age or younger with or without consideration “a visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct with the purpose to entice, induce or groom the child to engage in sexual intercourse and/or sexually explicit conduct and/or deviate sexual activity,” according to court records.

The crime is a Class D felony which carries a prison term of up to six years and a fine not to exceed $10,000 or both.

Stueart is also accused of sexual indecency for causing or coercing “another person who was less than 14 years of age to expose her sex organs with the purpose to arouse or gratify a sexual desire of himself.”

The crime is also a Class D felony.

On May 19, Stueart made an appearance in Hempstead County Circuit Court and waived formal arraignment before he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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