BA man gets probation for sex abuse crimes after jury recommends 40 years

“These are the types of cases where my heart literally aches,” said Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler. “Law enforcement spends countless hours encouraging young victims to believe in the system - that their courage will be rewarded by a just disposition. DHS caseworkers, forensic interviewers, prosecutors, victim advocates - all of us stand with these victims because we understand the hurt they experienced, and the courage it takes to testify in front of complete strangers. Even more so, friends and family members also stand with these victims. They are closer than any of us to the trauma experienced by these victims.

It would be easy to recommend probation for child sexual offenders because they would always take it - and that is why we don’t. Of all the criminal perpetrators I have ever dealt with in my 35-year career, the rapists and molesters of children are the most dangerous for our community.

When this jury recommended a sentence of 40 years in prison, no one envisioned that this defendant would be walking our streets as a free man. 12 people found him guilty and he never took accountability for his repulsive conduct. I simply have no words to describe my level of frustration. We send people to prison for stealing merchandise. He should have gone to prison for stealing innocence.”