Trial delayed for 2 men accused of aiding sex offender/imposter

The trial date has been delayed for two men believed to have aided an adult sex offender who successfully posed as a 12-year-old boy and enrolled in Arizona schools, including one in Surprise.

The trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday in Yavapai County Superior Court, but one of the defense attorneys had a scheduling conflict that required a postponement. A conference is scheduled for Dec. 16 to set a new trial date.

The two men, Lonnie Stiffler and Robert Snow, face child pornography and fraud charges. They were arrested with two other men caught in the apparent ruse to enroll a grown man in children's classes.

The imposter, Neil Havens Rodreick II, struck a plea deal in September, agreeing to serve 70.5 years in prison with no chance of parole.

Rodreick, 30, duped school officials in Surprise, Payson and Chino Valley into believing he was a child. The incidents occurred between 2005 and his arrest in 2007.

Brian Nellis, another accomplice, struck a deal earlier this month to serve a minimum of 39 years.

Stiffler and Snow reportedly had a sexual relationship with Rodreick and might have believed Rodreick was a young boy. Both men allegedly posed as Rodreick's family members - Stiffler as a grandfather and Snow as an uncle.

The trial date has been delayed for Robert Snow (left) and Lonnie Stiffler (middle), two men associated with the adult sex offender, Neil Havens Rodreick II.