Anna Kepner's Stepbrother: Prosecutors Initially Permitted Relaxed Rules for Alleged Murderer

Anna Kepner’s stepbrother, T.H. -- who is accused of raping and murdering her on a Carnival cruise -- has been living with family while being monitored by the feds ... but now that he's charged as an adult, prosecutors have changed their tune and want him behind bars pending his trial ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, T.H. -- who was arrested in February and indicted by a federal grand jury for first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse as an adult this week -- has been staying at his uncle Devon Ziske’s home.

T.H. was ordered to stay at home and always be under the supervision of an adult. He was made to wear a GPS monitor and not allowed to be alone with anyone under the age of 18, unless supervised by an adult.

A couple of days before prosecutors charged him as an adult, T.H.’s legal team asked for permission to modify the 16-year-old’s release conditions. He said his uncle had planned to leave for a few days to attend a church retreat ... and asked that his uncle’s wife be permitted to watch him.

In addition, his lawyers asked for him to be allowed to accompany his dad to work at a landscaping company, where his dad is a supervisor. The paperwork noted T.H. would have no contact with minors at the job. His lawyer said the government did not oppose the request for a temporary modification of the release order.

As TMZ previously reported, prosecutors filed court docs on April 13 to revoke T.H.’s bond and have him thrown behind bars pending his trial due to him being a “danger” to society. The judge has yet to rule.