A former prosecutor from the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Daniel James Steinhauser, has been sentenced to 60 days in jail following his guilty plea to one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office reported that Steinhauser, 29, encouraged a teenage boy to smoke marijuana, an incident that surfaced after the boy’s parents discovered concerning text messages. The family, initially seeking guidance for their son’s behavioural issues, contacted Steinhauser upon another attorney’s recommendation, hoping the boy would learn about the legal consequences of poor decisions by observing juvenile court proceedings. However, the investigation revealed inappropriate exchanges, including requests for secret meet-ups and instructions to delete messages to avoid detection.

The investigation, which commenced in 2023, uncovered potential grooming behaviours in communications between Steinhauser and the teenager, including a shift to Snapchat for further interactions. Besides his jail sentence, Steinhauser received five years of probation and a prohibition against contact with individuals under 18. The case highlights severe breaches of professional conduct and the legal system’s rigid stance on such violations. For further details, visit Denver Post.