NORRISTOWN — A Philadelphia man is awaiting his fate from a judge after he tried to meet who he believed was a 14-year-old girl for sex in Lower Merion Township but unbeknownst to him he was communicating with an undercover detective posing as the teenager.
Anthony Lewis Smith-Sturgis, 29, of the 4100 block of Powelton Avenue, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to felony charges of attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with someone on 16 and unlawful contact or communication with a minor or with a law enforcement officer posing as a minor in connection with incidents that occurred in October 2023.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Smith-Sturgis, who will undergo a psychosexual evaluation.
Smith-Sturgis also faces an evaluation by the Pennsylvania Sexual Offenders Assessment Board which will determine if he meets criteria to be classified as a sexually violent predator. Those classified as predators face more stringent restrictions while on parole or probation.
Smith-Sturgis faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.
Regardless the sentence that Smith-Sturgis receives, he will face a lifetime requirement to report his address to state police in order to comply with the state’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act, previously known as Megan’s Law.
Smith-Sturgis remains free on bail pending his sentencing hearing.
Smith-Sturgis was arrested during an October 2023 sting operation conducted by detectives investigating child exploitation on multiple social media platforms.
Detectives created undercover profiles on the platforms posing as a 14-year-old girl, according to a criminal complaint filed by county Detective Michael Henricks and Lower Merion Detective Joseph Hunsicker.
On Oct. 4, Smith-Sturgis contacted the undercover detective on one of the social media accounts and engaged in a sexually charged conversation with the detective despite being made aware that the girl he believed he was communicating with was 14 years old, according to court documents.
Smith-Sturgis subsequently provided his cellphone number to the undercover detective posing as the underage girl and he agreed to meet on a parking lot in the 500 block of City Avenue in the Bala Cynwyd section of Lower Merion, according to the criminal complaint.
When Smith-Sturgis arrived at the prearranged meeting spot, law enforcement officers moved in and took him in to custody and he was interviewed at the Lower Merion police station.
“During this interview, Smith-Sturgis admitted to communicating with a 14-year-old female and that he came to the parking lot to meet with the female. Smith-Sturgis acknowledged that the two were meeting in order to engage in a sexual act,” Henricks and Hunsicker wrote in the arrest affidavit.
Other charges of criminal use of a communication facility, attempted aggravated indecent assault of a minor and attempted corruption of a minor are slated to be dismissed against Smith-Sturgis at time of sentencing.
