Tucson Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years for Child Sex Abuse Attempt

TUCSON, Ariz. – A grim day in the annals of justice as 71-year-old John Stephen Baker from Tucson is sentenced to over eight years behind bars for his despicable attempt to engage in sexual activity with a minor, believed to be an undercover agent.

Baker’s sinister scheme began around February 6, 2023. He communicated with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, only to discover it was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent. Despite knowing the person was underage and potentially vulnerable, Baker pressed on, expressing fears of arrest but not shying away from his intentions.

The brazen baker took action on May 10, 2023, traveling from Tucson to Sahuarita with one goal in mind: to exploit a minor for his own twisted desires. Thanks to the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Baker’s predatory plan was thwarted before it could come to fruition.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat the rising tide of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program has been instrumental in identifying and apprehending predators like Baker, who seek to harm our most vulnerable citizens.

Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Jennifer H. Berman led the prosecution against Baker. With this conviction, justice has been served for those whose innocence was targeted by this predator.

Baker’s case number is CR-23-01362-TUC-JGZ, release number 2025-148_Baker. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/, and follow them on Twitter @USAO_AZ for ongoing updates.

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