A 29-year-old former juvenile prosecutor from the Denver District Attorney’s Office has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for encouraging a teenage boy to smoke marijuana, as reported by the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office.
Daniel James Steinhauser pleaded guilty to one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor, back in July.
The investigation into the case began in 2023 after the parents of the boy discovered text messages between Steinhauser and their son discussing marijuana use and ways to hide it, according to a news release by the DA’s office.
The family had initially contacted Steinhauser seeking assistance for their son’s behavioral issues, hoping that witnessing a juvenile docket would help him understand the consequences of poor decisions, the news release stated.
Upon reporting the texts to the police, it was revealed that Steinhauser had engaged in potential “grooming behaviors” by asking the boy to meet him without his parents and to delete messages in order to avoid trouble.
Subsequently, the conversations between Steinhauser and the boy shifted to Snapchat.
Aside from serving jail time, Steinhauser has been placed on five years of probation and is prohibited from any contact with individuals under the age of 18.
Stay updated on crime news by signing up for our daily newsletter.
