AG Balderas Announces that Charges Against an Additional Suspect in Farmington-Area Cold Case Against Brother Accused of Molesting His Own Sister Will Proceed to Trial

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2019
Contact: Matt Baca — (505) 270-7148

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that San
Juan County Magistrate Court Judge Rena Scott found probable cause to believe Michael
Stevens committed six first-degree felonies in 2009 by sexually assaulting his sister.
“My officie’s top priority is to prosecute any individual accused of violent, sexual acts
against minors,” said Attorney General Balderas. “I continue to commend the bravery of
the young survivor in this case, who has already testified against two of her abusers, and
we look forward to presenting this case at trial.”
Michael Stevens and three others (Bennie Wabbington, Casey Stallings, and Brandy
Stevens) all stand accused of sexually molesting the same young woman during roughly
this same time period. Two months ago, Judge Scott found probable cause to believe the
ex-boyfriend of the young woman’s mother, Bennie Wabbington, also molested the young
girl, and just last month her mother’s case against her was also bound over to district
court. Stallings’ case is in bench-warrant status.
Stevens’ case will next be bound over to Eleventh Judicial District Court for trial on the
charges. There is not yet a presiding judge or a trial date. Stevens faces 108 years in
prison if convicted of all charges.