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    • criminal defense

      Landmark Federal Ruling Could Mean More Rights for OK Sex Offenders

      May 14, 2013
      A recent federal court ruling could significantly change the way Oklahoma sex offenders are punished for their crimes. The May 8 ruling was decided in favor of defendant Charles Goodwin, a sex offender convicted of lewd acts in 1994, who challenged his probationary release terms and won. If you have been charged with a sex [...]
    • criminal defense

      Former Oklahoma Teacher Avoids Jail in Second-Degree Rape Case

      May 9, 2013
      A former teacher at Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma avoided jail time last month, despite pleading guilty in February to second-degree rape involving a student at the school. If the defendant wasn't the girl's teacher, the sexual relationship wouldn't have been considered a crime in Oklahoma. However, under Oklahoma law, it is illegal for [...]
    • Criminal defense

      Oklahoma Sex Offender Sweep Results in Seven Arrests

      April 30, 2013
      The Creek County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) in Oklahoma implemented a sex offender “sweep” recently, in an effort to round up registered sex offenders with active warrants. The sweep was conducted by regular and reserve deputies from Creek County, who were working with members of the U.S. Marshall's Office, and the Sheriff's Office said the sweep [...]
    • sex crime defense

      Oklahoma Lawmakers Debate Child Pornography Sentencing Guidelines

      April 23, 2013
      Oklahoma resident Monte Betche is headed to prison for more than four years for knowingly possessing child pornography on his computer, and the sex crime case has stirred up a heated debate about child pornography sentencing rules across Oklahoma. While some OK officials believe there is a connection between child pornography and sex abuse crimes, [...]
    • criminal defense

      Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Year in Jail for Child Pornography Charges

      April 16, 2013
      A 22-year-old Oklahoma man who pleaded guilty last year to possession of child pornography, was sentenced late last month to one year in county jail. Enid, Oklahoma resident Dillon Thomas Cline will also serve 14 years probation for the sex crime, in addition to paying fines, registering as a sex offender, completing counseling, and forgoing [...]
    • criminal defense

      Lawmakers Again Consider Tougher Laws Against OK Sex Offenders

      April 10, 2013
      Despite claims by Oklahoma sex offenders that state laws make it practically impossible for them to return to productive lives, Oklahoma lawmakers are considering strengthening the already harsh laws against sex offenders throughout the state. Oklahoma's sex offender registry includes individuals convicted of a variety of sex crimes, not just those against children, but some [...]
    • criminal defense

      Hearing Set for Former OSU Student Charged with Sexual Battery

      April 3, 2013
      A preliminary hearing has been set for a former Oklahoma State University (OSU) student facing multiple charges of sexual battery. Nathan Cochran, 22, appeared in court earlier this week with his attorney on allegations that he targeted three OSU students while they slept, on November 3, 2011, and August 11 and 15, 2012. Cochran was [...]
    • Criminal defense

      Three Oklahoma Men Arrested for Soliciting Sex from a Minor

      March 27, 2013
      The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has three area men in custody, all of whom have been accused of making lewd proposals to and soliciting sexual acts from a minor. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the three cases, these men could face significant penalties if they are convicted of the sex crimes, including jail time, [...]
    • criminal defense

      Oklahoma Officials OK Bill to Increase Penalties for Sex Offenders Who Fail to Register

      March 21, 2013
      An Oklahoma House panel approved a bill this week that would increase prison time for convicted sex offenders in Oklahoma who fail to register with law enforcement. Despite the objections of opponents who say it will only make state prisons even more overcrowded, the House Judiciary Committee voted 10-3 for the measure, which was already [...]
    • criminal defense

      OK Man Arrested on Child Porn Charges Released on Reduced Bond

      March 16, 2013
      An Oklahoma man arrested for possessing and distributing child pornography has been released on bond despite objections from the prosecution. According to court documents, Michael Kristian Gomez was arrested last month, after members of the Oklahoma Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force accessed files on his computer through a public file sharing system in late [...]
    • criminal defense

      OK Man Charged With Eight Felony Counts of Child Pornography Enters Blind Plea

      March 5, 2013
      An Oklahoma man charged with child pornography entered a blind plea during a hearing in Tulsa County District Court on March 4. Ricky Lewis, 31, was arrested last year and charged with eight felony counts, including manufacturing, distribution and aggravated possession of child pornography; procuring and attempting to procure the participation of a minor in [...]
    • Criminal defense

      Suspected Sexual Predator Arrested in Oklahoma Following Undercover Sting

      February 26, 2013
      An Oklahoma man was arrested last week for possession of child pornography and for engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a 14-year-old girl. Kristapher Walker, 27, was arrested in what was part of an undercover online investigation, which began when the Enid Police Department received a cyber-tip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited [...]
    • Criminal Defense

      Oklahoma Officials Propose New Bill to Fight Online Predators

      February 20, 2013
      In a sweep last week, Oklahoma's Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC) arrested four men in northeast Oklahoma – suspected internet predators accused of trading child pornography from their computers and phones. According to Steve Tanner, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI) lead agent for the task force, the unit was established in 2007 [...]
    • sex crime defense

      Proposed Bill Would Require University Officials to Report Sexual Assaults to OK Police

      February 13, 2013
      In the wake of a series of sexual assaults at Oklahoma State University, Sen. Tom Ivester has proposed a bill in Oklahoma that would require college and university officials to call the police when they learn of a student being sexually assaulted. However, according to Ivester, the measure wasn't influenced by the recent events at [...]
    • criminal defense

      Oklahoma Supreme Court Considers Sex Offender Registry Laws

      February 6, 2013
      Lawyers representing three convicted sex offenders are challenging Oklahoma's sex offender registry rules, claiming that the regulations are being applied retroactively, which makes them unconstitutional. The criminal defense attorneys urged the Oklahoma Supreme Court on February 5 to keep the state from putting their clients' names on the sex offender registry. An attorney for the [...]
    • criminal defense

      Former Oklahoma Megachurch Employee Wants Sex Charge Dropped

      January 30, 2013
      A former Tulsa church employee accused of making a lewd proposal to a minor has asked a judge to drop the charge against him, because he claims prosecutors didn't present enough evidence at the preliminary hearing to prove he knew the child was under 16 years of age. Castillo has pleaded not guilty to the [...]
    • Criminal Defense

      Proposed Bill Could Redefine Rape in Oklahoma

      January 22, 2013
      An Oklahoma lawmaker has proposed a new bill that could alter the definition of rape in the state, essentially making it illegal for church employees or volunteers to engage in sexual activity with church members under the age of 20. It is likely that the proposed measure was at least partly influenced by the recent [...]
    • Criminal defense

      New Security System Targeting Sex Offenders Introduced in PA Schools Already in Use in OK

      January 15, 2013
      As of January 22, 2013, all school buildings in the Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania district will begin using a new electronic security system to check for convicted sex offenders. The school security system, which is already in use in schools in Oklahoma, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and Washington, will require all school visitors to present identification [...]
    • criminal defense

      Suspended OSU Student Hit With New Sex Crime Charge

      January 8, 2013
      Nathan Cochran, the suspended Oklahoma State University student accused of sexually assaulting two male students, has been charged with a new count of sexual battery. With this new charge, the 22-year-old is facing four counts of sexual battery. However, Oklahoma investigators believe that the OSU junior may have sexually assaulted as many as 11 male [...]
    • sex crime defense

      Oklahoma Lawmakers Push for Tougher Sex Offender Laws

      January 3, 2013
      Tougher laws are in the works for sex offenders in Oklahoma, and one lawmaker in particular is pushing to place further restrictions on convicted sex offenders throughout the state. Currently, in Oklahoma, registered sex offenders whose victims were age 13 or younger are banned from loitering within 500 feet of a daycare or school. State [...]