Former Disney World cast member Stephan Sterns, 39, is set to plead guilty to shocking charges involving the rape and murder of 13‑year‑old Madeline “Maddie” Soto, authorities announced July 18, 2025. Sterns faces more than 60 counts of sex crimes and a first-degree murder charge after Maddie’s tragic death in February 2024.
A plea hearing is scheduled for Monday at 1:30 p.m. at the Osceola County Courthouse, aimed at resolving both the sexual battery and homicide cases in one fell swoop. This hearing is poised to preempt the scheduled jury selection for the sexual abuse case, which was to begin the next day. Prosecutors are reportedly considering accepting a plea that carries a life sentence, thereby eliminating the risk of a death‑penalty verdict.
If Sterns’ plea is accepted, no trials will take place. If rejected, the sexual battery trial would still proceed on Tuesday, while the murder case remains slated for September.
On February 26, 2024, Maddie vanished from Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Kissimmee, Florida, just days after turning 13. Her body was discovered five days later in a wooded area near St. Cloud, where she had been strangled.
Sterns, who had been dating Maddie’s mother and sharing her home, is accused of subjecting the girl to prolonged sexual abuse dating back at least to age 11, recording the acts on his phone and Google Drive. Over 60 charges have been filed, including sexual battery on a minor, possession of child pornography, and first-degree murder.
Police recovered graphic images and videos during their investigation. Sterns initially pleaded not guilty to all charges. But recently, the judge ruled against his motion to suppress phone and cloud data, deeming them admissible.
Prosecutors vowed to seek the death penalty if Sterns were tried for murder. That possibility appears to be off the table with the plea deal in motion. Defense attorneys reportedly requested additional trial preparation time, including witness interviews and depositions, but have now pivoted toward a negotiated resolution.
Stephan Sterns working at @Disney as a cast member on the Journey into Imagination ride in Epcot just a few months before he was arrested for having child porn in his phone.
Also the prime suspect in the murder of his step-daughter Madeline Soto.https://t.co/66rb90OU0I pic.twitter.com/isnCb6KTM4— JLR© (@JLRINVESTIGATES) March 7, 2024
The plea agreement could spare Maddie’s family the emotional toll of trial proceedings and the hearing of victim‑impact statements, scheduled alongside the plea hearing. The case has already provoked deep trauma in the Kissimmee community, raising troubling questions about trust, guardianship, and accountability within families.
Stephan Sterns—a former Disney cast member—will appear in court on July 21, 2025, to enter a plea resolving extensive child sex offenses and a brutal homicide. If approved, the hearings and trials scheduled for Tuesday and September could be cancelled, potentially resulting in a life sentence. The state intended to pursue the death penalty, and the compelling evidence from Sterns’ phone and cloud drives played a pivotal role in advancing the case toward resolution.
