Attorney General's News Release

June 20, 2007

St. Louis City jury commits St. Louis man as sexually violent predator

St. Louis, Mo. — A jury in St. Louis City on Tuesday (June 19) found Steven Hines of St. Louis to be a sexually violent predator (SVP) and committed him to the state treatment center in Farmington. Circuit Judge David L. Dowd signed the judgment and commitment order.

The office of Attorney General Jay Nixon sought to have Hines (DOB - 6/30/60) committed as an SVP due to his 1993 convictions in St. Louis for abuse of a child, 1st degree deviate sexual assault and 1st degree sexual assault. Hines pled guilty to six counts of abuse of a child involving a six-year girl on May 18, 1993, for which he received 14 years in prison. He also pled guilty to one count of 1st degree deviate sexual assault and one count 1st degree sexual assault, both involving a 30-year old woman, and received a concurrent sentence of seven years in prison on each count. A petition for civil commitment was filed April 25, 2006.

“My office will continue to aggressively pursue the indefinite commitment of those who still pose a threat to public safety,” Nixon said. “While they are committed, these offenders can get the treatment they need.”

Those committed by the court as sexually violent predators have the right to have their cases reviewed to determine if their mental abnormality has so changed that they are not likely to commit acts of sexual violence if released.

Currently, there are 84 sexually violent predators held in civil commitment in Missouri. Sexually violent predator commitments are handled by the Public Safety Division in Nixon’s office. Missouri’s sexually violent predator law took effect in January 1999.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to the Press Secretary.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818