Live Courtroom Audio: Stephan Sterns Pleads Guilty (No Contest) To Maddie Soto's Murder & Abuse

Stephan Sterns is officially going to die in prison. He pleaded no contest to the murder of 13-year-old Maddie Soto and guilty to a devastating series of sex crimes—eight counts of capital sexual battery, multiple counts of sexual abuse, and lewd molestation. It was a courtroom heavy with grief, rage, and unhealed wounds.

But one person was conspicuously silent.

In this episode, we take you inside the courtroom where Sterns faced the consequences of his horrific crimes—and where Jennifer Soto, Maddie’s own mother, neither spoke nor was mentioned as a participant. While family after family member delivered gut-wrenching victim impact statements, Jennifer stayed out of sight.

So now that Sterns has taken the plea deal, will Jennifer Soto finally be held accountable? Prosecutors no longer need her as a witness. There's no trial. No risk of her pleading the Fifth. Just a pile of deeply disturbing facts that paint a picture of a mother who ignored—or accepted—clear red flags.

We walk through:

The full breakdown of the plea agreement and sentencing

Maddie’s family confronting Sterns with heartbreak and fury

The legal implications of Sterns’ no contest plea

And the question: Does this now open the door for charges against Jennifer Soto?

We also highlight shocking court admissions—like the fact that Maddie’s mom allowed her to sleep in the same bed as Sterns, and her previous police statement claiming the “sex stuff wasn’t evil.” How does that not rise to criminal neglect?

This episode is not just about one man’s sentencing—it’s about what happens next in the pursuit of full justice for Maddie Soto.

🎧 Listen now to Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski.

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