Lawyer surrenders in child sex case

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 9, 2001

TAMPA -- A lawyer wanted by sheriff's investigators on charges he had sex with a 13-year-old girl turned himself in Thursday afternoon, officials said.

David Russell Stahl, 58, of 10203 Tarpon Springs Road in Odessa agreed to meet deputies outside the Hillsborough County courthouse annex at 1:30 p.m., said sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder.

Stahl then appeared before Judge Walter Heinrich on the charge of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child.

Investigators said that some time between November and December, Stahl had sex with a 13-year-old runaway being harbored by Shawn Robert Martin, a paralegal in his firm.

The incident happened at Martin's apartment at 6627 Marina Point Village Court, which Stahl leased.

Martin was advertising the girl for prostitution on the Internet, deputies said.

Warrants were issued for Stahl and Martin, who officials said fled together.

Martin's whereabouts are still unknown. Reder declined to say whether Stahl knew of Martin's location.

Stahl was being held Thursday afternoon in lieu of $100,000 bail.

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