Thunder public address announcer James Allan Miller, 41, a Harrah High School teacher and tennis coach, was arrested last week on complaints of lewd or indecent acts with a minor in Oklahoma County.  He was released on $30,000 bail the next day.  According to Harrah police spokesman Phil Stewart, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services referred the case to Harrah police approximately three weeks ago.  A probable cause affidavit filed in Oklahoma County District Court says that Miller is accused of watching pornography and performing lewd acts in the presence of a boy under the age of 16.  Allegedly, two females came forward and accused Miller of watching pornography in their presence and eventually committing sexual abuse against them.  Harrah police state that Miller is also under investigation in Potontoc County.

Miller is suspended from his duties with the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The organization said, "Due to the   allegations and criminal case against him and until further notice, Mr. Miller has been removed from his duties as Thunder PA announcer."  Harrah Public Schools has placed Miller on administrative leave pending the investigations, but asserts that the investigation  does not indicate the involvement of any students.

In a signed affidavit, an interviewer of Mr. Miller says that the incidents were accidental, stating that he had a "problem with internet pornography," and that the minors had occasionally walked in on him while he was watching porn and masturbating.

Being accused of a sex crime in Oklahoma can result in the loss of your job and the destruction of your family.  If you or a loved one has been accused of a sex offense, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible.  Call the experienced Oklahoma City sex crime defense attorneys with Phillips & Bailey when you need help.

Early this week, a former teacher in Clayton, Oklahoma, surrendered to authorities after she was accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student.  Rhonda Ford, 29, resigned her position as English teacher at Clayton High School in Pushmataha County after rumors began circulating that she and a student were sexually involved.  In March, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI) began investigating the claims, and Ford resigned the following week.

According to police, the alleged victim told authorities that he began a sexual relationship with the teacher shortly after Valentine's Day, and that the two had sex on at least ten occasions in February and March.  To confirm his allegations, he told police he could identify a tattoo that Ford has below the panty line.

A warrant was issued for Ford's arrest last week.  She surrendered on Sunday to face criminal charges including one count of lewd or indecent acts with a minor under 16, four counts of second degree rape, four counts of sodomy, and three counts of providing alcohol to minors.  Three students told police that Ford had asked them to help her move and, as payment, she provided them with beer and liquor.

Ford was employed by Clayton Public Schools for less than one year.  She began working for Clayton High School in August 2011 and resigned prior to April 1, 2012.

Before teaching in Clayton, Ford was employed as an English teacher at Cleveland High School for one semester--from August 2009 to January 2010.  Though confidentiality law prevents Cleveland Public Schools from releasing details of Ford's resignation, Cleveland High School principal Alan Baker is listed on an affidavit as a witness for the prosecution.

Because the age of consent in Oklahoma is 16, and Ford's alleged victim is 15, she would have been facing prosecution even if she were not a teacher.  However, because she was a teacher, she was legally precluded from having sex with any student in the district in which she worked, even if that student had reached or passed the age of legal consent.

Any teacher who has sex with a student not only risks his or her career, but also faces criminal prosecution and mandatory registration as an Oklahoma Sex Offender.  If you or a loved one has been accused of lewd acts with a minor or statutory rape, contact a skilled, experienced Oklahoma sex crime defense lawyer as quickly as possible.

In an unusual case out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, last week, a 19-year-old Vici man was accused of the rape of two men in separate incidents on consecutive days.  Allegedly, Brandon Brady raped each of two men with whom he was sharing a room at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Tulsa.  Police say the men were staying at the hotel for an event, and the facility's website shows the only scheduled convention to be a meeting for CareerTech students and faculty.

According to police, Brady is accused of raping one man while the alleged victim was attempting to shower at approximately 7:00 p.m. last Sunday.  He is then accused of raping the second man at approximately 7:30 p.m. the following evening as the alleged victim attempted to use the bathroom.

Brady was arrested at approximately 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday morning and taken to the Tulsa County jail on two complaints of first degree rape.  His bail was set at $100,00o.

Oklahoma rape attorneys represent defendants accused of rape and other sex crimes.  These defendants are frequently men, but women are often accused as well, particularly in cases of rape of minors.  It is unusual, though not impossible, for a woman to be accused of raping a grown man.  Sometimes this occurs when the victim is legally unable to consent to sex, as in the case of female correctional officers having sex with inmates.  In a recent unusual case, an Australian woman was accused of rape after allegedly breaking into her male victim's home and forcible performing oral sex on him.  Rebecca Elder, 39, was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass and rape.

Regardless of the gender of the defendant or alleged victim, rape charges may be filed against anyone accused of having sex with someone who did not consent or was legally unable to consent due to age, mental incapacity, or custody or supervision.  If you or someone you love has been accused of rape, call an experienced rape defense lawyer in Oklahoma as soon as possible.

Blose is accused of having a sexual relationship with the teen, who was a friend of her daughter.  She faces up to life in prison for fifteen counts of first-degree rape, five counts of lewd acts with a minor, three counts of forcible oral sodomy, and one count of lewd or indecent proposals to a minor.  Though her no contest plea places her at the mercy of the court, she will be required to register as an Oklahoma sex offender for life even if she does not receive a life sentence to prison.

Her no contest plea was likely advised by her Oklahoma sex crimes defense lawyer.  Most people do not understand the difference between a guilty plea and a plea of no contest, and a skillful attorney will closely advise his or her clients on which plea is likely to provide the best outcome.

An Oklahoma City criminal defense attorney can explain the possible plea options and the advantages and disadvantages to each.  Essentially, a defendant has three plea options:  not guilty, guilty, or nolo contendere (no contest).

In a not guilty plea, the defendant maintains his or her own innocence.  By pleading not guilty, the defendant chooses to have his or her case go to trial to be decided by a judge or jury.

In a guilty plea, the defendant admits to the crime or crimes of which he or she is accused.  By pleading not guilty, the defendant avoids the time and expense of a jury trial and accepts the conviction and sentencing of the judge.

A plea of no contest has a similar outcome to a guilty plea:  there is no trial, the defendant is convicted of a crime, and the judge issues any sentence.  In a no contest plea, the defendant admits no guilt; rather, the defendant chooses not to fight the charges at trial.  A nolo contendere plea may offer some relief from civil litigation related to the criminal charge.

Another possible plea option in Oklahoma is the "Alford plea."  An Alford plea is similar to a no contest plea.  However, whereas a plea of no contest neither accepts nor denies guilt, in an Alford plea, the defendant proclaims his or her innocence.  By making an Alford plea, the defendant says that, although he or she is innocent of the charges, the prosecution's evidence would likely result in conviction.  The defendant chooses the court's judgment over a jury trial.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense, your Oklahoma defense lawyer should carefully explain your options for pleading and should make sure you understand the advantages, disadvantages, and likelihood of success for each plea.  Before making a plea, be certain your attorney has fully explained the options available to you and how each is likely to impact your case.

On Friday, 17-year-old Kody Matthew Koonce of Choctaw and 17-year-old Cody Gene McGee  of Jones were charged with first degree rape and forcible oral sodomy in Oklahoma County District Court.  The boys are alleged to have raped a 17-year-old girl with Down Syndrome on February 12 of this year.  Two younger boys, at least one of whom was only 14 at the time, are also accused of participating in the sexual assault against the girl, who is said to have the mental capacity of a 5 or 6 year old.

Allegedly, Koonce, McGee, and a third boy raped the girl at a Choctaw residence.  The three teens and a fourth boy allegedly also performed oral sex on the girl.  A 19-year-old man who was allegedly present at the time of the assault has been charged with abuse or neglect of a child.  The man, Rusty Begay, is also charged with forcible oral sodomy for allegedly performing oral sex on one  of the boys involved, who was 14 at the time.

Though the alleged victim was 17 at the time of the incident, and above the legal age of consent, her mental capacity as a result of Down Syndrome makes her unable to legally consent.  According to Oklahoma rape laws, it is considered rape in the first degree if the rape is "committed upon a person incapable through mental illness or any unsoundness of mind of giving legal consent regardless of the age of the person committing the crime."

If your child has been accused of a sex offense, it is important to find an Oklahoma sex crimes lawyer who is experienced at handling juvenile cases.  An Oklahoma juvenile sex crime lawyer will represent your child for the best possible outcome, working carefully to avoid having your child, as a criminal defendant, become a victim of inflated charges and overzealous prosecution.

The incident in question occurred last summer, when Venable made a traffic stop for suspicion of DUI.  According to the probable cause affidavit, Venable pulled the alleged victim over on the Broadway Extension in Oklahoma City at approximately 4:30 a.m. on June 20, 2011.  The affidavit says that the woman got into Venable's patrol vehicle, and he turned off the vehicle's camera.  Allegedly, Venable told the woman she was pretty and she complimented in kind, leading to sexual contact in the vehicle.

The woman, who testified that she had been drinking at both a family gathering and at a bar in Moore prior to the traffic stop, says that she and Venable then went to her home in Guthrie.

Venable says that the sexual encounter was completely consensual.  However, at issue is whether the woman was considered to be in custody at the time of the incident.  The former trooper's Oklahoma City rape defense lawyer asserts that the woman was not in custody and that the encounter took place between two consenting adults.  However, the judge at the preliminary hearing disagreed and said the woman was in Venable's custody, and therefore a trial on second degree rape charges was warranted.  The Oklahoma sex crime attorney says that he will renew the motion to dismiss the case in district court.

Statutory rape in Oklahoma is generally charged as second degree rape.  According to the Oklahoma Statutes, certain people are legally unable to consent to sex, and the act of second degree rape is defined as sexual intercourse with someone who:

• is under the age of 16
• was given an intoxicating substance by the defendant as a means to force submission
• is unconscious and the defendant knows this fact
• was tricked into believing that he or she was having sex with his or her own spouse
• is under legal custody of a state agency and has sex with a state employee or the employee of a state contractor

The fifth element of the definition of second degree rape is what makes the designation of custody so critical in this case.  Though the case has been ordered to trial, it can still be dismissed if the district court judge agrees with Venable's Oklahoma City rape attorney that the woman was not, in fact, in Venable's legal custody at the time of the incident.  Otherwise, that critical point may be up to a jury to decide.

Last Thursday, former Atoka High School biology teacher and assistant football coach Casey Hauff, 32, was charged in Atoka County District Court with eleven felony counts related to alleged sex crimes against five female students.  Hauff, who resigned during the investigation, was charged with two counts of second degree rape, four counts of solicitation of a minor, two counts of sexual battery, forcible sodomy, showing obscene materials to a minor, and lewd or indecent proposals to a minor under 16.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Hauff asked the girls to text him nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves in exchange for better grades, and allegedly sent nude photos of himself in return.  He allegedly began using the cell phone of a student intern to collect images of the girls after his wife began checking his cell phone.

Allegedly, the sex offenses took place in Hauff's classroom, and one alleged victim says that the teacher had her hide in a closet when someone came to the classroom.

Oklahoma sex crime lawyers stress that, although the age of consent in Oklahoma is 16, state law prohibits sex between a student and a teacher, administrator, or employee of the same district.  Hauff allegedly told one of the girls that "he usually waited until the girls graduated," but that he would "make an exception" for her.  If he had waited until the girls graduated, his actions would not have been felonious, and he would not be facing decades behind bars and lifetime sex offender registration.

If you or someone you love has been charged with a sex offense, it is critical to obtain representation as soon as possible.  During an investigation into sex crimes and following any accusation or criminal charges, the rights of the accused are frequently trampled.  A skillful attorney can help protect your rights while building a solid defense.  To find a sex crime defense lawyer in Oklahoma City, call the law offices of Phillips & Bailey.

Media reports and online sex offender support networks tell the stories of people who seem to have been unfairly trapped by Oklahoma sex offender registration requirements:

• CNN tells of Ricky Blackman, a young man convicted of a sex offense when he was only 16.  Blackman admitted to having sex with a girl he thought was 15, only to find out she was actually 13.  He was convicted in Iowa, and his record was eventually expunged.  Seeking to make a fresh start, Blackman and his family moved to Oklahoma, where he was forced to register as a sex offender despite the offense being expunged in his home state.
• The Tulsa World writer Leigh Woosley writes of Kim, a 37 year old former prostitute who was required to register as a sex offender after she was convicted of indecent exposure in Oklahoma.  Her crime?  Flashing her bare breasts to an undercover police officer.  She failed to register as a sex offender upon her release from jail and spent an additional two years behind bars for failure to register.  Though Kim admits that her jail sentence was probably deserved, particularly in light of a significant criminal history, she says that being lumped in with pedophiles and rapists seems unfair.
• A man posting on the Sex Offender Solutions and Education Network (SOSEN) website feels that his 18-year-old grandson, Coty Marrs, was unfairly prosecuted.  According to the elder Marrs, Coty got drunk at a party and went in a bedroom to sleep it off.  A 14-year-old girl came in and allegedly initiated a consensual sexual encounter.  According to his grandfather, what Coty did was "dumb" and "irresponsible," but the justice system failed him.  Sam Marrs says that Coty was denied his right to an Oklahoma sex crime defense lawyer during police investigation, and that when his case went to trial, he had ineffective counsel.  According to Mr. Marrs, Coty must register as a Tier 3 Violent Sex Offender, even though the girl admitted the act was consensual and neither she nor her mother wanted to press charges.

The restrictions placed on registered sex offenders in Oklahoma are often more difficult for the offenders than their prison or jail sentences.  These people must continue to pay for their crimes through housing restrictions, employment restrictions, and the social stigma that comes with being branded as a sex offender.  It is critical that anyone charged with a sex offense--even something as minor as indecent exposure--get swift legal representation from an experienced defense attorney to protect against false accusations, inflated charges, maximum sentencing, and the violation of one's civil and constitutional rights.

Early Saturday morning, Erin Kathleen Queen, 27, was arrested at the Candlewood Suites in Tulsa, where she was discovered with a 17-year-old student.  Queen, an English teacher and ninth grade girls' basketball coach at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs, was arrested on a first degree rape complaint after allegedly arranging a hotel tryst with her student.

According to media reports, the student was supposed to be staying at a friend's house on Friday night.  His parents went to the friend's home to make sure their son was there, but he was not.  When they still had not found him by 4:30 Saturday morning, they called police.  Allegedly, the parents discovered their son with Queen at the Tulsa hotel and notified police.  Police say Queen admitted to sexual intercourse with the student, and she was arrested on a first degree rape complaint at 5:30 a.m.  She was booked into Tulsa County Jail and released on $50,000 bond.

According to the police, sex between the teacher and student was consensual; however, Oklahoma law prohibits a sexual relationship between a student and a teacher or employee of the same district.  Oklahoma's age of consent is 16; however, Oklahoma law stipulates certain exceptions to the age of consent.  Oklahoma sex crimes lawyers point to the statutes outlining those who are  not legally able to give consent.  Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes states that rape charges are applicable if  ". . . the victim is at least sixteen (16) years of age and is less than eighteen (18) years of age and is a student, or under the legal custody or supervision of any public or private elementary or secondary school, junior high or high school, or public vocational school, and engages in sexual intercourse with a person who is eighteen (18) years of age or older and is an employee of the same school system."  This statutory provision for a rape charge, regardless of consent, includes sex between a person in custody or under supervision of a state, federal, county, or municipal agency and any employer or contractor of that agency.

It is important to remember that there are several stipulations that eliminate a person's legal capability of consent to sexual activity, including age, mental defect, use of intoxicants, legal custody, or legal supervision.  If you ignore these statutory considerations in the face of verbal consent, you may find yourself in need of a rape lawyer or statutory rape lawyer in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma violent crime lawyers understand that, although the state is generally perceived as gun-friendly, there are still Oklahoma gun laws outlining who can and cannot lawfully own a gun, and there are gun laws prohibiting the possession of weapons in certain locations.   Under Oklahoma law, a minor under the age of 18 is not permitted to possess a weapon, except a rifle or shotgun for hunting, sport, or education under supervision.  No one except law enforcement officers is allowed to carry a firearm on school grounds.  In the past week, two Oklahoma City metro area teens have violated both laws the underage possession of a firearm and possessing that gun on school grounds.  Similarly, a third teen was arrested for bringing a knife to school.

On March 2, 2012, Moore police arrested 15-year-old Dillon Ashby after a loaded gun was found in his locker.  It was determined that the gun had been stolen from a car during a recent string of automobile burglaries.  Ashby was arrested at Moore's Central Junion High on complaints of possession of a firearm on school grounds and possession of stolen properties.  Though Ashby is a juvenile, state law requires that the names of youthful offenders be released if the crime with which they were charged would be a felony if committed by an adult.  Ashby is suspected in the automobile burglaries and in the theft of four-wheeled ATVs from area homes.

On March 6, another 15-year-old student was arrested for possession of a gun on school property.  The Ponca City High school student was arrested when it was determined that he brought a handgun to school.  Police declined to say where the gun was found and whether or not it was loaded, but they did say no threats were made.  Because the student has not been criminally charged as of this writing, police have not released his name.

Finally, a 14-year-old girl was arrested yesterday for bringing a knife to school in Oklahoma City.  The knife was discovered during backpack scanning at Northwest Classen High School.  Initially, the girl told authorities the knife must have "fallen into" her back pack, but later admitted she brought it to school because she was having problems with a male student who was bullying her and who threatened to kill her.  As of this writing, she has not been charged.

When it comes to violence at school, Oklahoma gun possession is not the only threat.  A Norman teenager has been charged with rape and forcible sodomy after a 16-year-old girl told a school counselor that she was forced into a wrestling locker room at Norman North High School and raped.  According to the suspect, 15-year-old Ian Patrick Giles Palmerton, sex between the two was consensual and did  not occur on school grounds.  Police, however, say that physical evidence obtained at the seen refutes Palmerton's claims.

If your child is in trouble with the law, it can be very frightening for you as a parent.  You want to protect your child and his or her future.  You want to avoid having a foolish youthful mistake haunt your child for the rest of his or her life.  Get sound legal counsel and aggressive defense when you hire an Oklahoma juvenile sex crime lawyer or gun possession attorney from Phillips & Bailey in Oklahoma City.