Lewd Acts with a Minor Charges for Tulsa Teen

A teenager accused of making indecent proposals to a minor in Oklahoma was charged last week with two counts of sexually abusing a 7-year-old boy.

According to an affidavit filed in Tulsa County District Court, 17-year-old Brock Henderson is accused of asking a child he was babysitting to touch his genitals and perform oral sex. Allegedly, the boy did touch the older teen inappropriately, but refused to perform oral sex. The 7-year-old told his mother of the alleged sexual abuse in March, and she reported the incident to police.

Tulsa Police say the teenager, a football player with Union High School in Tulsa, admitted to the abuse, saying it occurred the last time he babysat for the boy. Charging documents allege that the two incidents occured between October 1, 2010, and March 3, 2011.

On Wednesday, May 5, Oklahoma child sex abuse charges against Henderson were filed in Tulsa County District Court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. If the teenager is convicted of lewd acts with a minor in Oklahoma, he will be required to register as an Oklahoma Sex Offender for the rest of his life.

Need for Oklahoma Sex Crime Defense Clear

Reader reaction to a story in the Tulsa World about the allegations against the teen are mixed. On one hand, Oklahomans are outraged about the molestation of a child. Others contend that the accused is an otherwise "good kid," and caution against a rush to judgment, saying that the allegations could ruin the lives of both boys.

For anyone accused of child sexual abuse, it is imperative to proceed with immediate representation from a qualified Oklahoma sex crimes defense lawyer. Public judgment is swift, but legal judgment has a longstanding, life-altering impact. Penalties for lewd or indecent acts with a minor in Oklahoma include:

• 25 years to life in prison if the victim is under the age of 12
• Lifetime probation and compliance with the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registration Act

When the defendant is himself (or herself) a child, conviction of a juvenile sex offense seems to be a no win situation. With competent legal counsel from an experienced criminal defense attorney in Oklahoma, however, the accused is afforded a fair trial with the best possible result.