For Immediate Release
Dec. 29, 2023

Appeals court affirms 30 of 31 convictions in a child-sex case; sentence now Life plus up to 102 years 

The Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals in recent days affirmed 30 of 31 convictions against Stephen D. Turner that were prosecuted by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office in 2021. A jury convicted Turner of 31 sex crimes involving multiple victims. Turner was sentenced to Life in Prison plus 107 years. 

On the thirty-first charge, the Missouri Court of Appeals reduced that charge from a class B Felony to a class C felony and ordered resentencing on that count.  Previously, Turner received a 15-year sentence on that count to be served consecutive to other counts.  As modified by the Western District, Turner is now facing a sentence of three to ten years on that count. 

As a result, his sentence could range from Life plus 92 years to Life plus 102 years. 

A jury found Turner, of Nevada, Missouri, guilty of child molestation, statutory rape, forcible rape and use of a child in sexual performance. The crimes were committed against at least five children over the course of 14 years, according to court records. Three of the victims told police that Turner began abusing them when they were as young as 4 years of age.  

According to court records, the victims told police that Turner repeatedly abused them in different residences across Jackson County. The case was investigated by Kansas City police. Charges were first filed against Turner in 2017. 

Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Jill Icenhower and Dion Sankar prosecuted Turner on behalf of the state of Missouri.