Labette County man pleads guilty to child sex crimes

David Stevens faces sentencing in June after changing plea to no contest on two charges

Apr. 7, 2026 at 1:03am

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An extreme close-up of a pair of metal handcuffs against a stark black background, conceptually representing the serious nature of a child sex crimes case.A recent plea deal in a child sex crimes case in Labette County exposes the grim realities law enforcement faces in investigating these disturbing incidents.Labette Today

A 36-year-old man from Edna, Kansas has pleaded no contest to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. David Stevens was arrested last July following a four-month investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Labette County Sheriff's deputies, which began with a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Why it matters

Child sex crimes cases are deeply disturbing and impactful for local communities. This plea deal brings some resolution, but the details of the case highlight the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in investigating and prosecuting these types of crimes.

The details

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed four additional charges of sexual exploitation of a child against Stevens. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June.

  • In July 2025, KBI agents and Labette County Sheriff's deputies arrested Stevens following a four-month investigation.
  • On April 7, 2026, Stevens pleaded no contest to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

The players

David Stevens

A 36-year-old man from Edna, Kansas who pleaded no contest to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI)

The state's investigative law enforcement agency that assisted in the case against Stevens.

Labette County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency that worked with the KBI on the investigation of Stevens.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The organization that provided the cyber tip that led to the investigation of Stevens.

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What’s next

Stevens is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in investigating and prosecuting child sex crimes, even when a plea deal is reached. The community will await the sentencing to see what punishment is handed down for these disturbing charges.