By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - A man and his girlfriend have been sent to prison for involving two teenage girls in videotaped sadomasochistic sexual encounters.

Butler County Common Pleas Judge Patricia Oney on Monday ordered Steven M. Evans, 39, to spend five years in prison and pay a $1,000 fine. Evans, a remodeling contractor, had faced up to 761/2 years in prison for 20 charges, said Assistant Prosecutor Megan Shanahan.

Originally indicted on 38 counts, Evans pleaded guilty in February to seven counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance, and 13 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. The charges stemmed from Evans' activities with two girls, ages 13 and 14, during 2000 and 2001, and child pornography police found among Evans' possessions, Shanahan said.

She said Evans had the girls engage in "extreme, severe, bizarre sadomasochistic behavior." The girls were "embarrassed" and "horrified," and the experiences would undoubtedly haunt them for the rest of their lives, Shanahan said.

However, Evans' attorney, Gary McGee, argued for leniency, saying his client had no prior criminal record except a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. He also noted a mental-health evaluation indicated Evans has been responding well to medication for a bipolar disorder.

Evans' girlfriend, Lisa G. Hoston, 37, began serving a 17-month prison sentence in February for two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Hoston, a mother of two who once worked for Evans, had introduced the girls to Evans, Shanahan said. Evans engaged in the acts with the girls and with Hoston in a bedroom of Evans' home, Shanahan said.

Hoston told police about the activities last year. She wanted to stop Evans from creating an Internet site featuring the activities that included her and the girls, Shanahan said. Evans did not succeed in posting the images on the Internet, Shanahan said.

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com