Plea hearing set for recreation center owner

PERKINS TWP. — A local business owner facing a felony sex charge is set to go before a judge next week. Robert L. Stein, 42, of the 3200 block of Stonewood Drive, is facing one fifth-degree felony count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. His case was filed in Sandusky Municipal Court. He is scheduled for a 10 a.m. plea hearing on Wednesday. Stein was the owner of Adventure Play on Milan Road (U.S. 250) near Walmart. It's labeled as Ohio's first and largest indoor inflatable park with an emphasis on youth play. He was arrested on Tuesday at his home while detectives were executing a search warrant, according to Perkins police Detective Joseph Rotuno. Stein was taken to Erie County Jail and later released on bond. He was ordered not to have contact with the alleged victim. Court records do not list an attorney for Stein. Prosecutors could pursue additional charges when Stein's case goes before a grand jury for possible indictment, Rotuno said. Background Stein allegedly exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with a minor in late January, according to Rotuno. The exchanges took place over the social media app Snapchat. After investigating the allegations, police obtained and executed a search warrant at Stein's home. None of the illegal behavior took place at the recreation center, according to Rotuno. Stein and the minor interacted over Snapchat on Jan. 26, police said. Rotuno said the minor later came to the realization that the conversation was inappropriate and reached out to a friend. Rotuno said the friend then reached out to another individual about the situation. That individual is a mandatory reporter, which is a person in a profession who is legally obligated to inform law enforcement upon hearing about or whenever suspecting a child is a victim of abuse. That reporter initially contacted Sandusky police, who realized the alleged illegal activity occurred in Perkins Township and forwarded the information to that department. Perkins police believe more alleged victims may exist, according to a social media post. "At this stage of the investigation, we have received information indicating there may be additional victims. Our primary purpose in sharing this information is to identify and reach anyone else who may have been impacted," the post states. Anyone with information on the case or anyone who believes they may be a victim can call the Perkins police detective bureau at 419-627-0824, ext. 5. Adventure Play responds Stein's business posted a statement to its social media page on Thursday. Adventure Play ensures we are committed to providing a safe, fun and welcoming environment for all families and children who visit our facility. We provide cameras throughout the facility for the safety and security of our guests and employees. All participants must fill out our waiver, and all guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or an adult. We are aware of allegations currently circulating online. As a business, Adventure Play is not involved in the situation being discussed, and the matter in question did not occur at our facility. We want to make it clear that the current operations of Adventure Play are completely separate from these allegations. At this time, our business is going through a transition phase. The former owner will no longer be affiliated with Adventure Play moving forward. We remain focused on maintaining a positive, safe and enjoyable experience for our customers and our community. We kindly ask the public to refrain from harassing or directing negative behavior and spreading disinformation toward our business and employees. Our team members are dedicated professionals who continue to work hard to serve our guests and should not be subjected to harassment or hostility. We appreciate the understanding and continued support of our community during this transition period. Operations will continue as normal. The post was unsigned, and it is unclear who composed it. Many social media commenters questioned the post and asked who the new owner is.